Final answer:
Autoclaves sterilize by combining high pressure with high temperatures, typically at 121 °C or 132 °C, to completely destroy all forms of microorganisms including endospores.
Step-by-step explanation:
The autoclave sterilizes or completely destroys microorganisms by combining: a) High pressure and heat.
An autoclave utilizes moist-heat sterilization which is considered the most effective method of sterilization. It operates at high temperatures, often 121 °C or 132 °C, and pressures of 15 to 20 psi to achieve complete removal of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses. Steam must directly contact the items being sterilized, which requires air removal techniques such as gravity displacement or a high-speed vacuum in the case of prevacuum sterilizers.
The combination of high pressure and temperatures above the boiling point of water ensures that even the most resistant microorganisms, like endospores, are destroyed.