IAAI-FIT Test Vocab
Approved - correct answer acceptable
Absolute Temperature - correct answer a temperature measured in Kelvins (K) or Rankines (R)
Accelerant - correct answer a fuel or oxidizer intention used to initiate a fire or increase its
spread
Accidental Fire - correct answer an unplanned fire or a chance occurrence arising from
unintentional circumstances
Active Fire Protection System - correct answer a mechanical or electric system that activates
under fire circumstances (ex. detectors and sprinklers)
Ambient - correct answer something/someones surrounding environment
Ampacity - correct answer the maximum current in amperes that a conductor can continuously
carry without going over it's max temperature rating
Ampere - correct answer a unit of electric current equivalent to 1 coulomb (6.24x1018
electrons) per second
Arc - correct answer a high-temperature, glowing electric particle (spark) discharged across a
circuit gap or through a fuel
Arc Mapping - correct answer evaluating circuit configurations for information about what might
have caused the fire
Arc Site - correct answer the location on a conductor that receives damage from arcing
,IAAI-FIT Test Vocab
Arcing through char - correct answer when arcing is conducted through char
Area of Origin - correct answer the geographic location of a fire scene in which the point of
origin is located
Arrow Pattern - correct answer a fire pattern on the cross section of burned wooden structural
components, looks like a triangle with the bottom being most burned out and the top being
least burned out
Arson - correct answer the crime of maliciously or intentionally starting a fire or explosion
Autoignition - correct answer heated combustion without a spark or flame
Autoignition Temperature - correct answer lowest temperature that a material can start ignition
spontaneously
Backdraft/Smoke Explosion - correct answer a deflagration explosion caused by adding oxidation
to an oxygen deficient fire
Bead - correct answer a blob of re-solidified metal that was melted by arcing at the end of
circuit conductor remains
Blast Pressure Front - correct answer the high pressure leading edge of explosion that causes
damage by pushing out and displacing the normal ambient pressure
BLEVE - correct answer Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion
, IAAI-FIT Test Vocab
Bonding - correct answer the permanent joining of metal parts that creates a conductive and
continuous (safe) path for electrical currents
British Thermal Unit (BTU) - correct answer a unit of energy, 1055 joules of energy
Calcination of Gypsum - correct answer the release of chemically bound water from gypsum by
fire that results in a pattern (looks like different levels of normal wall burn damage, see fire
patterns section)
Calorie - correct answer a unit of energy, 4.184 joules of energy
Cause - correct answer the circumstances, conditions and agents that brought about a fire or
explosion and its affects
Ceiling jet/Ceiling layer/Upper layer - correct answer : the thin layer of hot gases that forms in
the top of a room as a result of convective heat pushing up
Char - correct answer carbon material that has been burned to the point of blackening
Char blisters - correct answer the alligator skin looking pattern/cracks on burned carbon
materials
Clean burn - correct answer areas in which fire temperature either burned away soot or
prevented soot deposits from forming
Combustible - correct answer capable of undergoing combustion
Approved - correct answer acceptable
Absolute Temperature - correct answer a temperature measured in Kelvins (K) or Rankines (R)
Accelerant - correct answer a fuel or oxidizer intention used to initiate a fire or increase its
spread
Accidental Fire - correct answer an unplanned fire or a chance occurrence arising from
unintentional circumstances
Active Fire Protection System - correct answer a mechanical or electric system that activates
under fire circumstances (ex. detectors and sprinklers)
Ambient - correct answer something/someones surrounding environment
Ampacity - correct answer the maximum current in amperes that a conductor can continuously
carry without going over it's max temperature rating
Ampere - correct answer a unit of electric current equivalent to 1 coulomb (6.24x1018
electrons) per second
Arc - correct answer a high-temperature, glowing electric particle (spark) discharged across a
circuit gap or through a fuel
Arc Mapping - correct answer evaluating circuit configurations for information about what might
have caused the fire
Arc Site - correct answer the location on a conductor that receives damage from arcing
,IAAI-FIT Test Vocab
Arcing through char - correct answer when arcing is conducted through char
Area of Origin - correct answer the geographic location of a fire scene in which the point of
origin is located
Arrow Pattern - correct answer a fire pattern on the cross section of burned wooden structural
components, looks like a triangle with the bottom being most burned out and the top being
least burned out
Arson - correct answer the crime of maliciously or intentionally starting a fire or explosion
Autoignition - correct answer heated combustion without a spark or flame
Autoignition Temperature - correct answer lowest temperature that a material can start ignition
spontaneously
Backdraft/Smoke Explosion - correct answer a deflagration explosion caused by adding oxidation
to an oxygen deficient fire
Bead - correct answer a blob of re-solidified metal that was melted by arcing at the end of
circuit conductor remains
Blast Pressure Front - correct answer the high pressure leading edge of explosion that causes
damage by pushing out and displacing the normal ambient pressure
BLEVE - correct answer Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion
, IAAI-FIT Test Vocab
Bonding - correct answer the permanent joining of metal parts that creates a conductive and
continuous (safe) path for electrical currents
British Thermal Unit (BTU) - correct answer a unit of energy, 1055 joules of energy
Calcination of Gypsum - correct answer the release of chemically bound water from gypsum by
fire that results in a pattern (looks like different levels of normal wall burn damage, see fire
patterns section)
Calorie - correct answer a unit of energy, 4.184 joules of energy
Cause - correct answer the circumstances, conditions and agents that brought about a fire or
explosion and its affects
Ceiling jet/Ceiling layer/Upper layer - correct answer : the thin layer of hot gases that forms in
the top of a room as a result of convective heat pushing up
Char - correct answer carbon material that has been burned to the point of blackening
Char blisters - correct answer the alligator skin looking pattern/cracks on burned carbon
materials
Clean burn - correct answer areas in which fire temperature either burned away soot or
prevented soot deposits from forming
Combustible - correct answer capable of undergoing combustion
