FIRE INVESTIGATOR - STUDY
QUESTIONS FOR TCFP FIRE
INVESTIGATOR CORRECT 100%
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - ANSWER It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - ANSWER Test the
hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - ANSWER Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
ANSWER Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - ANSWER Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - ANSWER Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - ANSWER Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - ANSWER Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
, Decay
What is a flashover? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Flameover or
rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - ANSWER Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - ANSWER The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on
materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - ANSWER Plume
Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - ANSWER Physical change in appearance of a material resulting
from the combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - ANSWER Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their
properties. Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - ANSWER 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? -
ANSWER Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand
towards the fire.
QUESTIONS FOR TCFP FIRE
INVESTIGATOR CORRECT 100%
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - ANSWER It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - ANSWER Test the
hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - ANSWER Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
ANSWER Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - ANSWER Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - ANSWER Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - ANSWER Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - ANSWER Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
, Decay
What is a flashover? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Flameover or
rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - ANSWER Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - ANSWER The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on
materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - ANSWER Plume
Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - ANSWER Physical change in appearance of a material resulting
from the combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - ANSWER Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their
properties. Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - ANSWER 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? -
ANSWER Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand
towards the fire.
