Icon Design Icon Identification 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which icon is internationally recognized to represent 'first aid' or 'medical assistance'?
- A red cross or plus sign on a white background (Correct answer)
- A heart with a pulse line
- A stethoscope silhouette
- A pill capsule icon
Correct answer: A red cross or plus sign on a white background
The red cross (or green cross in some regions) on a white background is the internationally recognized symbol for first aid and medical help.
Question 2: An icon showing a stylized human figure in a running pose over a green or illuminated background typically represents what?
- A sports app
- An emergency exit or escape route (Correct answer)
- A fitness tracker
- A pedestrian crossing
Correct answer: An emergency exit or escape route
The running figure on a green background is the ISO standard exit sign icon used to indicate emergency exits in buildings.
Question 3: What concept does a 'shield' icon most commonly convey in cybersecurity software?
- Firewall rules are active
- Protection, security, or defense (Correct answer)
- User account privileges
- Offline mode is enabled
Correct answer: Protection, security, or defense
A shield icon borrows the protective metaphor of a physical shield to communicate that a system or feature provides security and defense.
Question 4: In most operating systems, what does a small arrow overlay in the corner of an icon indicate?
- The file is read-only
- The icon is a shortcut or alias to another location (Correct answer)
- The application is running
- The file type is unknown
Correct answer: The icon is a shortcut or alias to another location
A small arrow overlaid on a desktop icon means it is a shortcut (Windows) or alias (macOS) pointing to the actual file elsewhere.
Question 5: Which icon is typically used to represent 'Bluetooth' technology?
- A stylized letter B made of angular runes (Correct answer)
- Two overlapping circles
- A lightning bolt
- A zigzag wave pattern
Correct answer: A stylized letter B made of angular runes
The Bluetooth icon is a runic-style symbol combining the initials of Harald Bluetooth (ᚼ + ᛒ), the Viking king who unified Danish tribes.
Question 6: What does a battery icon with a lightning bolt inside it indicate on a mobile device?
- Battery is critically low
- Device is currently charging (Correct answer)
- Battery saver mode is on
- A charging error has occurred
Correct answer: Device is currently charging
A lightning bolt overlaid on the battery icon indicates the device is connected to a power source and actively charging.
Question 7: In icon systems, what does the 'info' icon (usually a lowercase 'i' inside a circle) communicate to users?
- An error requires attention
- Additional information or help is available (Correct answer)
- The item is selected
- Internet connectivity status
Correct answer: Additional information or help is available
The circled 'i' is a universal symbol borrowed from informational signage, indicating that tapping it will reveal more details or help.
Which icon is internationally recognized to represent 'first aid' or 'medical assistance'?