FIRE INVESTIGATOR - MASTER FOR TCFP
TEST FINAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (A+ GUIDE
SOLUTION) 2025-2026.
Terms in this set (659)
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
standard?
What are the six steps of the Recognize the need
scientific method? Define the problem
Collect the data
Analyze the data
Develop a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
What step of the scientific Analyze the data
method is inductive
reasoning?
What step of the scientific Test the hypothesis
method is deductive
reasoning?
What are the four parts of Fuel (reducing agent)
the fire tetrahedron? Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction Endothermic
absorbs energy, an
endothermic or an
exothermic reaction?
What is heat transfer by Conduction
direct contact called?
,What is heat transfer by Convection
gas flow / air movement
called?
What is heat transfer by Radiation
microwave energy called?
What is a fuel controlled A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
fire?
What is a ventilation A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
controlled fire?
What are the stages of fire Ignition
growth? 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 Flameover or rollover
underside of the hot gas
layer called?
What factors influence Size of the compartment
flashover conditions? 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 Plume Generated patterns (often V shaped)
of fire patterns on the walls Ventilation generated patterns
and ceiling? 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 Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will
expand towards the fire or expand towards the fire.
pull inward away from it?
What causes heat An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
shadowing?
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.
Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
What are the five building
Type III - Ordinary
construction types?
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
, What is ordinary Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
construction?
What is wood frame Lightweight wood construction, used in apartments, houses.
construction?
What is platform frame Each floor is a seperate platform.
construction?
What is balloon frame The wall studs extend from the foundation to the roof.
construction?
What is Ohm's Law? V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? Pressure
What is current? Flow
What is resistance? Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Alternating current - the electrons flow out from the source and
Direct Current then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at
120 V each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system Commercial. Four conductors: Three insulated
conductors (480, 240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference Grounding connects the system to the earth (ground).
between grounding and Bonding connects to systems together so the charge stays
bonding? the same between them.
TEST FINAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (A+ GUIDE
SOLUTION) 2025-2026.
Terms in this set (659)
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
standard?
What are the six steps of the Recognize the need
scientific method? Define the problem
Collect the data
Analyze the data
Develop a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
What step of the scientific Analyze the data
method is inductive
reasoning?
What step of the scientific Test the hypothesis
method is deductive
reasoning?
What are the four parts of Fuel (reducing agent)
the fire tetrahedron? Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction Endothermic
absorbs energy, an
endothermic or an
exothermic reaction?
What is heat transfer by Conduction
direct contact called?
,What is heat transfer by Convection
gas flow / air movement
called?
What is heat transfer by Radiation
microwave energy called?
What is a fuel controlled A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
fire?
What is a ventilation A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
controlled fire?
What are the stages of fire Ignition
growth? 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 Flameover or rollover
underside of the hot gas
layer called?
What factors influence Size of the compartment
flashover conditions? 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 Plume Generated patterns (often V shaped)
of fire patterns on the walls Ventilation generated patterns
and ceiling? 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 Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will
expand towards the fire or expand towards the fire.
pull inward away from it?
What causes heat An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
shadowing?
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.
Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
What are the five building
Type III - Ordinary
construction types?
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
, What is ordinary Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
construction?
What is wood frame Lightweight wood construction, used in apartments, houses.
construction?
What is platform frame Each floor is a seperate platform.
construction?
What is balloon frame The wall studs extend from the foundation to the roof.
construction?
What is Ohm's Law? V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? Pressure
What is current? Flow
What is resistance? Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Alternating current - the electrons flow out from the source and
Direct Current then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at
120 V each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system Commercial. Four conductors: Three insulated
conductors (480, 240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference Grounding connects the system to the earth (ground).
between grounding and Bonding connects to systems together so the charge stays
bonding? the same between them.
