IFSTA Chapter 5: Fire Behavior UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORECT
Answers
Combustion - CORRECT ANSWER - A chemical process of oxidation that occurs at a rate
fast enough to produce heat and usually light in the form of either a glow or flame.
Fire - CORRECT ANSWER - A rapid oxidation process, which is a chemical reaction
resulting in the evolution of light and heat in varying intensities.
Heat - CORRECT ANSWER - A form of energy characterized by vibration of molecules and
capable of initiating and supporting chemical changes and changes of state.
Temperature - CORRECT ANSWER - Measure of a material's ability to transfer heat energy
to other objects.
Fuel - CORRECT ANSWER - A material that will maintain combustion under specified
environmental conditions.
Oxidizer - CORRECT ANSWER - Any material that readily yields oxygen or other oxidizing
gas, or that readily reacts to promote or initiate combustion of combustible materials.
Matter - CORRECT ANSWER - Anything that has mass and takes up space.
Physical Change - CORRECT ANSWER - A change in a substance that does not involve a
change in the identity of the substance.
ex. water: solid (ice), liquid (water), gas (steam).
Chemical Change - CORRECT ANSWER - A change that occurs when one or more
substances change into entirely new substances with different properties.
Energy - CORRECT ANSWER - the capacity to do work.
Potential Energy - CORRECT ANSWER - stored energy that results from the position or
shape of an object; can do work once released.
Kinetic Energy - CORRECT ANSWER - the energy an object has due to its motion.
Oxidation - CORRECT ANSWER - A chemical change in which a substance combines with
oxygen.
, Ex. as when iron oxidizes, it forms rust
Exothermic Reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - a chemical reaction that releases thermal
energy or heat.
Endothermic reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - Chemical reaction that absorbs thermal
energy or heat.
Pyrolysis - CORRECT ANSWER - the chemical decomposition of a solid material by
heating.
Vaporization - CORRECT ANSWER - physical process that changes a liquid into a gaseous
state.
Ignition - CORRECT ANSWER - the process of initiating a self-sustained combustion.
Piloted Ignition - CORRECT ANSWER - Moment when a a mix of fuel and oxygen
encounters an external heat (ignition) source with sufficient energy to begin combustion.
Autoignition - CORRECT ANSWER - combustion by heat but without any external spark or
flame.
The lowest temperature at which a combustible material ignites in air without spark or flame.
Flame - CORRECT ANSWER - visible, luminous body of burning gas emitting radiant
energy.
Fire Triangle - CORRECT ANSWER - fuel, oxygen, heat; A model used to explain the
elements/conditions necessary for combustion.
Fire Tetrahedron - CORRECT ANSWER - Chemical chain reaction, reducing agent, heat,
oxidizing agent.
Passive agent - CORRECT ANSWER - materials that absorb heat but do not participate
actively in the combustion process.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) - CORRECT ANSWER - Colorless, odorless, dangerous gas (both
toxic and flammable) formed by the incomplete combustion of carbon. It combines more than
200 times as quickly with hemoglobin as oxygen, thus decreases the blood's ability to carry
oxygen.
Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) - CORRECT ANSWER - Colorless, toxic, and flammable liquid
until it reaches 79F. Above this temperature, it becomes a gas with a faint odor similar to
almonds.
Smoke is the byproduct of, what? - CORRECT ANSWER - incomplete combustion.
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORECT
Answers
Combustion - CORRECT ANSWER - A chemical process of oxidation that occurs at a rate
fast enough to produce heat and usually light in the form of either a glow or flame.
Fire - CORRECT ANSWER - A rapid oxidation process, which is a chemical reaction
resulting in the evolution of light and heat in varying intensities.
Heat - CORRECT ANSWER - A form of energy characterized by vibration of molecules and
capable of initiating and supporting chemical changes and changes of state.
Temperature - CORRECT ANSWER - Measure of a material's ability to transfer heat energy
to other objects.
Fuel - CORRECT ANSWER - A material that will maintain combustion under specified
environmental conditions.
Oxidizer - CORRECT ANSWER - Any material that readily yields oxygen or other oxidizing
gas, or that readily reacts to promote or initiate combustion of combustible materials.
Matter - CORRECT ANSWER - Anything that has mass and takes up space.
Physical Change - CORRECT ANSWER - A change in a substance that does not involve a
change in the identity of the substance.
ex. water: solid (ice), liquid (water), gas (steam).
Chemical Change - CORRECT ANSWER - A change that occurs when one or more
substances change into entirely new substances with different properties.
Energy - CORRECT ANSWER - the capacity to do work.
Potential Energy - CORRECT ANSWER - stored energy that results from the position or
shape of an object; can do work once released.
Kinetic Energy - CORRECT ANSWER - the energy an object has due to its motion.
Oxidation - CORRECT ANSWER - A chemical change in which a substance combines with
oxygen.
, Ex. as when iron oxidizes, it forms rust
Exothermic Reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - a chemical reaction that releases thermal
energy or heat.
Endothermic reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - Chemical reaction that absorbs thermal
energy or heat.
Pyrolysis - CORRECT ANSWER - the chemical decomposition of a solid material by
heating.
Vaporization - CORRECT ANSWER - physical process that changes a liquid into a gaseous
state.
Ignition - CORRECT ANSWER - the process of initiating a self-sustained combustion.
Piloted Ignition - CORRECT ANSWER - Moment when a a mix of fuel and oxygen
encounters an external heat (ignition) source with sufficient energy to begin combustion.
Autoignition - CORRECT ANSWER - combustion by heat but without any external spark or
flame.
The lowest temperature at which a combustible material ignites in air without spark or flame.
Flame - CORRECT ANSWER - visible, luminous body of burning gas emitting radiant
energy.
Fire Triangle - CORRECT ANSWER - fuel, oxygen, heat; A model used to explain the
elements/conditions necessary for combustion.
Fire Tetrahedron - CORRECT ANSWER - Chemical chain reaction, reducing agent, heat,
oxidizing agent.
Passive agent - CORRECT ANSWER - materials that absorb heat but do not participate
actively in the combustion process.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) - CORRECT ANSWER - Colorless, odorless, dangerous gas (both
toxic and flammable) formed by the incomplete combustion of carbon. It combines more than
200 times as quickly with hemoglobin as oxygen, thus decreases the blood's ability to carry
oxygen.
Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) - CORRECT ANSWER - Colorless, toxic, and flammable liquid
until it reaches 79F. Above this temperature, it becomes a gas with a faint odor similar to
almonds.
Smoke is the byproduct of, what? - CORRECT ANSWER - incomplete combustion.
