A person with Diabetes mellitus is asking you the calories obtained from one teaspoon of sugar. what is 1 tea spoon in mL?

Appeared in: SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2015 (Set-A)

Explanation

The question asks for the direct conversion of one teaspoon to milliliters (mL).
In the metric system, which is standard for medical and scientific measurements, 1 teaspoon is defined as 5 mL.
This is a fundamental unit conversion used in both culinary and medical contexts for measuring small liquid volumes.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: 15 mL is the volume of one tablespoon (tbsp), which is equivalent to three teaspoons.
Option C: 20 is not a standard volume measurement for a teaspoon. This number likely represents the approximate number of calories in one teaspoon (5 grams) of sugar (5g x 4 kcal/g = 20 kcal). The question asks for volume (mL), not energy (kcal).
Option D: 60 is not the volume of one teaspoon. This number often relates to the calories in 15 grams of carbohydrates (15g x 4 kcal/g = 60 kcal), which is the amount used in the '15-15 rule' for treating hypoglycemia. 15 grams of sugar is about 3 teaspoons.

Related Visual

$A simple chart showing the relationship between different units of volume: 1 teaspoon \= 5 mL, 1 tablespoon \= 3 teaspoons \= 15 mL, and 1 fluid ounce \= 2 tablespoons \= 30 mL. Each...$

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Unit conversion of volume (teaspoon to milliliters) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Accurate measurement is critical in nursing, especially for medication administration and nutritional counseling. Confusing teaspoons (5 mL) with tablespoons (15 mL) can lead to a threefold dosage error.
In the context of diabetes management, understanding these units is vital for patient education on topics like carbohydrate counting and treating hypoglycemia.
The '15-15 Rule' for treating hypoglycemia involves giving 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate. This translates to about 3-4 glucose tablets, 1/2 cup (120 mL) of juice, or 3 teaspoons (15 mL) of sugar. Knowing the conversion helps in emergency situations when standard treatments aren't available.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core question being asked. The surrounding text mentions diabetes and calories, but the specific question is 'what is 1 tea spoon in mL?'.
Recognize that this is a question of unit conversion, specifically from a common household measure (teaspoon) to a metric volume measure (milliliter).
Recall or look up the standard conversion factor. The most common and medically accepted conversion is 1 teaspoon = 5 mL.
Evaluate the given options based on this conversion.
Option '5' directly matches the conversion.
Analyze the other options to understand why they are incorrect. '15' corresponds to a tablespoon. '20' and '60' are likely related to calorie calculations mentioned in the context, not volume.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Unit conversion of volume (teaspoon to milliliters).
Stem keywords: Diabetes mellitus, calories, sugar, teaspoon, mL
Lead-in keywords: what is
Clinical cues: The context of diabetes and calories is provided, but the core question is a simple unit conversion.
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Q-hAZf0Q_nOJPskJyHPSl-

Reference Book

E6 Biochemistry U Satyanarayana— Part 2 (pp 421-820 of 840) p. 151-153

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