Fire Investigator - Master for TCFP Test Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update
2026/2027
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - Answers It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - Answers 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? - Answers Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - Answers Test the hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - Answers Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? - Answers
Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - Answers Conduction
,What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - Answers Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - Answers Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - Answers A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - Answers A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - Answers Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - Answers 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? - Answers Flameover or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - Answers Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
,Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - Answers The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - Answers Plume
Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - Answers 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? - Answers Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - Answers Physical change in appearance of a material resulting from the
combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - Answers Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties.
Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - Answers 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? - Answers Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - Answers 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? - Answers Bulbs
25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - Answers An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? - Answers The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring,
cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - Answers A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - Answers Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the
room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - Answers Type I - Fire resistant
, Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - Answers Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
What is wood frame construction? - Answers Lightweight wood construction, used in
apartments, houses.
What is platform frame construction? - Answers Each floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? - Answers The wall studs extend from the foundation to the
roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - Answers V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - Answers Pressure
What is current? - Answers Flow
What is resistance? - Answers Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - Answers Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current - Answers Alternating current - the electrons flow out from
the source and then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service - Answers Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at 120
V each, and a bare ground wire.
2026/2027
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - Answers It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - Answers 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? - Answers Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - Answers Test the hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - Answers Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? - Answers
Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - Answers Conduction
,What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - Answers Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - Answers Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - Answers A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - Answers A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - Answers Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - Answers 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? - Answers Flameover or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - Answers Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
,Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - Answers The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - Answers Plume
Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - Answers 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? - Answers Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - Answers Physical change in appearance of a material resulting from the
combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - Answers Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties.
Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - Answers 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? - Answers Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - Answers 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? - Answers Bulbs
25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - Answers An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? - Answers The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring,
cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - Answers A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - Answers Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the
room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - Answers Type I - Fire resistant
, Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - Answers Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
What is wood frame construction? - Answers Lightweight wood construction, used in
apartments, houses.
What is platform frame construction? - Answers Each floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? - Answers The wall studs extend from the foundation to the
roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - Answers V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - Answers Pressure
What is current? - Answers Flow
What is resistance? - Answers Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - Answers Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current - Answers Alternating current - the electrons flow out from
the source and then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service - Answers Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at 120
V each, and a bare ground wire.
