Fire Investigator - Master For TCFP Test Questions

and Answers (Test Bank) Complete Solution

Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations

What are the six steps of the scientific method? - Recognize the need

Define the problem

Collect the data

Analyze the data

Develop a hypothesis

Test the hypothesis

What step of the scientific method is inductive reasoning? - Analyze the data

What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - Test the hypothesis

What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - Fuel (reducing agent)

Heat

Oxidizing agent

Uninhibited chemical chain reaction

What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? - Endothermic

What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - Conduction

What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - Convection

What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - Radiation

What is a fuel controlled fire? - A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.

What is a ventilation controlled fire? - A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.

What are the stages of fire growth? - Ignition

Growth

Flashover

Fully Developed

Decay

What is a flashover? - The transition phase from growth to fully developed, where all surfaces reach

ignition temperature almost simultaneously.

What is ignition of the underside of the hot gas layer called? - Flameover or rollover

What factors influence flashover conditions? - Size of the compartment

Height of ceiling

Ventilation

Amount of fuel

Layout of fuel

Location of fire in the compartment

What are fire patterns? - The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.

What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - Plume Generated patterns

(often V shaped)

Ventilation generated patterns

Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)

What is spalling? - The separation of chunks of concrete with explosive force caused by the

expansion of water (moisture) trapped in the concrete as it turns to steam

What is char? - Pyrolized carbonaceous material

What is oxidation? - Physical change in appearance of a material resulting from the combination of

oxygen.

What is alloying? - Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties. Often melts at

a lower temperature.

What is a clean burn? - When there was enough heat to burn away all carbon deposits (soot) on a

surface leaving a "clean" surface. Occurs on non-combustible surfaces.

What is soot? - Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.

What is calcination? - When chemically bound water is driven out of gypsum walls by the heat of

the fire.

Does a 25 Watt light bulb expand towards the fire or pull inward away from it? - Bulbs 25 watts or

less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.

What causes heat shadowing? - An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.

What is a dead load? - The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring, cloumns, and roof

coverings.

What is a live load? - A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.

What is compartmentation? - Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the room of

origin.

What are the five building construction types? - Type I - Fire resistant

Type II - Non combustible

Type III - Ordinary

Type IV - Heavy timber

Type V - Wood frame

What is ordinary construction? - Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.

What is wood frame construction? - Lightweight wood construction, used in apartments, houses.

What is platform frame construction? - Each floor is a seperate platform.

What is balloon frame construction? - The wall studs extend from the foundation to the roof.

What is Ohm's Law? - V=IR

(E = I x R)