Which test measures how quickly a tablet disintegrates in a liquid?

• A. Disintegration
• B. Dissolution
• C. Hardness
• D. Friability

Answer: (A)

Disintegration testing measures the time it takes for a tablet to break into particles when immersed in a liquid under standardized conditions. The tablet is placed in the disintegration apparatus and exposed to a controlled bath at body temperature until it completely disintegrates into small particles that pass through a sieve. This directly assesses how quickly the tablet loses its integrity in liquid, which is a prerequisite for dissolution.

Dissolution tests, by contrast, measure how much drug goes into solution over time, not the physical breakup of the tablet. Hardness tests evaluate the crushing strength of the tablet, and friability tests look at weight loss due to abrasion. Thus, the disintegration test is the one that measures how quickly a tablet disintegrates in a liquid.