Fire Investigator - master for TCFP test
Questions and Verified Correct Answers
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 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.
What causes heat shadowing? answer - An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? answer - The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring,
cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? answer - A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and
snow.
,What is compartmentation? answer - Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the
room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? answer - Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? answer - Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
What is wood frame construction? answer - Lightweight wood construction, used in
apartments, houses.
What is platform frame construction? answer - Each floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? answer - The wall studs extend from the foundation to the
roof.
What is Ohm's Law? answer - V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? answer - Pressure
What is current? answer - Flow
What is resistance? answer - Friction, opposition to the flow
, What is an overload? answer - Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current answer - 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 answer - Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at 120 V
each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system answer - Commercial. Four conductors: Three insulated conductors (480,
240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference between grounding and bonding? answer - Grounding connects the
system to the earth (ground). Bonding connects to systems together so the charge stays the
same between them.
What is overcurrent protection? answer - A device that protects the system from excess
current. Includes:
Circuit breakers
Plug fuses
Type S fuses
Time delay fuses
Cartridge fuses
What are the colors of residential wires? answer - Hot - black or red
Neutral - gray or white
Ground - bare or green
Questions and Verified Correct Answers
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 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.
What causes heat shadowing? answer - An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? answer - The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring,
cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? answer - A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and
snow.
,What is compartmentation? answer - Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the
room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? answer - Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? answer - Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
What is wood frame construction? answer - Lightweight wood construction, used in
apartments, houses.
What is platform frame construction? answer - Each floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? answer - The wall studs extend from the foundation to the
roof.
What is Ohm's Law? answer - V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? answer - Pressure
What is current? answer - Flow
What is resistance? answer - Friction, opposition to the flow
, What is an overload? answer - Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current answer - 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 answer - Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at 120 V
each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system answer - Commercial. Four conductors: Three insulated conductors (480,
240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference between grounding and bonding? answer - Grounding connects the
system to the earth (ground). Bonding connects to systems together so the charge stays the
same between them.
What is overcurrent protection? answer - A device that protects the system from excess
current. Includes:
Circuit breakers
Plug fuses
Type S fuses
Time delay fuses
Cartridge fuses
What are the colors of residential wires? answer - Hot - black or red
Neutral - gray or white
Ground - bare or green
