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Essentials Of Firefighting > Chapter 2-Fire Behavior > Flashcards

Chapter 2-Fire Behavior Flashcards

0
Q

Transfer of heat energy by movement of heated liquids or air

A

Convection

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1
Q

Point-to-point transmission of heat energy

A

Conduction

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2
Q

Direct flame contact is actually a form of _________ heat transfer.

A

Convective

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3
Q

He transfer in a straight line

A

Radiation

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4
Q

_________ heat is one of the major sources of fire spread to structures

A

Radiated

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5
Q

Approved SI unit for all forms of energy including heat is ________.

A

Joule

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6
Q

The temperature of a substance when vapor pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure. At this temperature, the rate of evaporation exceeds the rate of condensation. At this point, more liquid is turning into gas than gas is turning back into a liquid.

A

Boiling point

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7
Q

Boiling point of water

A

212 degrees F

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8
Q

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water 1°F.

A

British thermal units (BTU)

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9
Q

Amount of heat needed to raise temperature of 1 g of water 1°C

A

Calorie

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10
Q

The minimum temperature at which a liquid fuel gives off sufficient vapors to form an ignitable mixture with the air near the surface. At this temperature, ignited vapors will flash but will not continue to burn.

A

Flashpoint

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11
Q

The temperature at which a liquid fuel will produce vapor sufficient to support continuous combustion once ignited. The _______ is usually a few degrees above the flashpoint.

A

Firepoint

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12
Q

The minimum temperature to which a fuel in air must be heated to start self sustained combustion without a separate ignition source.

A

Ignition temperature

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13
Q

The percentage of a substance (vapor) in air that will burn once it is ignited. Most substances have an upper (too rich) and a lower (too lean) flammable limit.

A

Flammable or explosive limits

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14
Q

The material or substance being oxidized or burned in the combustion process.

A

Fuels

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15
Q

Flammable or explosive limits of:

Fuel Oil:
Methane:
Carbon Monoxide:
Propane

A

Fuel oil: 0.7-5

M: 5-15

CO: 12.5-74

P: 2.1-9.5

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16
Q

Flammable or explosive limits(range)

Ethyl Alcohol:
Gasoline:
Hydrogen:
Acetylene:

A

EA: 3.3-19

G: 1.4-7.6

H: 4-75

A: 2.5-100

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17
Q

______ fuels can be the most dangerous of all fuel types because they are already in the natural state of ignition. No ______ or ______ is needed to ready the fuel and less energy is required for admission.

A

Gaseous

Pyrolysis or vaporization

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18
Q

______ is the decomposition of matter through the action of heat. Fuel gases are evolved from solid fuels by _________ chemical heat energy is the most common source of heat in combustion reactions.

A

Pyrolysis for both

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19
Q

A form of chemical heat energy that occurs when the material increases in temperature without an outside heat source.

A

Self heating or spontaneous heating

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20
Q

Examples of high spontaneous heaters are:

A

Linseed oil rags
Charcoal
Anything with “fish”

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21
Q

The rate at which most chemical reactions occur doubles with each _______ temperature increase in reacting materials.

A

18°F

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22
Q

The tendency of gases to form into layers according to the temperature

A

Thermal layering of gases

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23
Q

Thermal layering of gases is also known as:

A

Heat stratification and

thermal balance

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24
_______ is the energy component of the fire tetrahedron
Heat
25
The fire tetrahedron consists of:
>Heat >Fuel >Oxygen >Chemical chain rxn or self sustaining chemical rxn
26
The five stages of fire development are:
``` Ignition Growth Flashover Fully developed Decay ```
27
Stage of fire that is total room involvement and precedes fully developed
Flashover
28
No exact temperature is associated with flashover, a range from approximately _________ is widely used
900°F to 1200°F
29
The flashover temperature range correlates with the ignition temperature of _________ of ______, one of the most common gas is given off from pyrolysis.
Carbon monoxide of 1128°F
30
The heat released from a fully developed room at flashover can be on the order of ________.
10,000 kW or more
31
__________ describes a condition where flames move through or across the unburnt gases during a fire's progression.
Flame over or rollover
32
Flame over is distinguished from flashover by it's involvement of __________ and not the surfaces of other fuel packages within a compartment.
Only the fire gases
33
_______ occurs in the decay stage (smoldering stage – i.e. no oxygen)
Backdraft
34
__________ is the key upon recognizing any of the signs of Backdraft
Vertical ventilation
35
The following characteristics may indicate potential for a Backdraft to occur:
>Pressurized smoke exiting small openings > Black smoke becoming dense gray yellow > confinement & excessive heat > Little or no visible flame > smoke leaving the building in puffs or at intervals (breathing) > smoke stained windows > sudden rapid movement of air inward when opening is made
36
_______ is a self-sustaining chemical reaction yielding energy or products of combustion that cause further reactions of the same kind.
Combustion
37
_____ is a rapid, self-sustaining oxidation process accompanied by the evolution of heat and light of varying intensities.
Fire
38
_______ is defined as the process of rapid oxidation (resulting in fire).
Combustion
39
Rapid oxidation (combustion) can occur in two forms: ______ & _________.
Smoldering fires Steady-state fires
40
Steady-state fires are sometimes also called _______.
Free burning fires
41
The 6 general categories of heat energy are as follows:
``` Chemical Electrical Mechanical Nuclear Light Heat ```
42
Which 3 energies are the most common sources of heat that result in the ignition of a fuel.
Chemical, electrical, and mechanical energy
43
Which energy is the most common source of heat in combustion reactions?
Chemical heat energy
44
_________ is generated by friction compression
Mechanical heat energy
45
Fuel maybe found in what three states of matter?
Solid Liquid Gas
46
_________ is chemical decomposition of a substance through the action of heat.
Pyrolysis
47
Fuel gases are evolved from liquids by __________.
Vaporization
48
__________ fuels can be the most dangerous, because they are already in the natural state required for ignition.
Gaseous
49
The density of liquids in relation to water is known as __________.
Specific gravity
50
In referring to specific gravity, water is given a value of _____.
One
51
Liquids with a specific gravity less than one are _______ than water.
Lighter
52
Liquids with a specific gravity greater than one are _______ than water.
Heavier
53
If the other liquid also has a density of one it will ________ with water.
Mix evenly
54
It is interesting to note that most flammable liquids have a specific gravity of __________.
Less than one
55
________ is the density of gas or vapor in relation to air.
Vapor density
56
In relation to vapor density air is given a value of _____.
One
57
If a vapor is less dense than air it will _______ & tend to ________.
Rise Dissipate
58
If it gas or vapor is heavier than air, which is more common, it will tend to _________ and travel as ________.
hug the ground directed by terrain & wind
59
It is important for all firefighters to know that every hydrocarbon except the lightest one, methane, has a vapor density _______ , and will ____________.
greater than one sink and hug the ground
60
Once a fuel has been converted into a gaseous state it must mix with a/an _______ to burn.
Oxidizer
61
The mixture of the fuel vapor and the oxidizer must be within the _______ for that fuel to burn.
Flammable limits
62
If there is too much fuel vapor, the mixture is ________. If there is not enough fuel vapor, it is ____________.
too rich to burn too lean to burn
63
When the proper fuel vapor/air mixture has been achieved, it must then be raised to it's ________ or the point at which self-sustaining combustion will continue.
Ignition temperature
64
The surface, or smoldering mode of combustion, is represented by the __________.
Fire triangle | fuel, temperature, and oxygen
65
When oxygen concentrations exceed _____, the atmosphere is said to be oxygen enriched.
21%
66
Nomex ignites and burns at approximately _____________.
31% oxygen enriched atmosphere
67
Firefighters must be aware of a variety of potentially hazardous conditions that may be intertwined within the phases of fire. These hazards include: (3)
Rollover flashover Backdraft
68
_________, takes place when unburned combustible gases released during the incipient or early steady-state phase accumulate at the ceiling level.
Rollover
69
Rollover is also known as:
Flam over
70
Rollover differs from _______ in that only the gases are burning and not the contents of the room.
Flashover
71
In this condition, all the contents of the fire area are gradually heated to their ignition temperatures.
Flashover
72
In Backdraft, burning is incomplete because of insufficient ________to sustain the fire.
Oxygen
73
In Backdraft, _________ supplies the dangerous missing link – oxygen.
Improper ventilation such as opening a door or breaking a window
74
_________ can be the most dangerous condition a firefighter will ever face.
Backdraft
75
_________ is critical to firefighting activities. As long as the hottest air and gases are allowed to rise, the lower levels will be safer for firefighters.
Thermal layering
76
If water is improperly applied to the fire area and the area is not ventilated, the water will cool and condense the steam generated by the initial fire attack. This reaction causes the smoke and steam to circulate within all levels of the fire area. This whirling of smoke and steam is the result of disrupted normal thermal layering. This process is sometimes referred to as _______________.
Disrupting the thermal balance or creating a thermal imbalance
77
Once the normal layering is disrupted, __________ procedures must be used to clear the area.
Forced ventilation
78
When a fuel burns, there are 4 products of combustion:
Heat light smoke fire gases
79
The most common narcotic gas is found in smoke are: (3)
Carbon monoxide Hydrogen cyanide Carbon dioxide
80
_______ is the most common narcotic gas found in smoke and is almost always present.
CO
81
Liquid fuels generally give off ___________ smoke.
Dense, black
82
With flaming combustion (i.e. the fire tetrahedron), the fire may be extinguished by:
Reducing temperature Eliminating fuel Eliminating oxygen Stopping self sustaining chain rxn
83
If a fire is in the smoldering mode of combustion only 3 extinguishment options exist:
Reduce temperature Elimination of fuel Elimination oxygen
84
One of the most common methods of extinguishment is by __________.
Cooling with water
85
Some extinguishing agents, such as dry chemicals and halogenated hydrocarbons, interrupt the ________________ and stop flaming.
Flame producing chemical reaction
86
Fires involving ordinary combustible materials such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber and many plastics.
Class A fires
87
Flammable and combustible liquids and gases such as gasoline, oil, lacquers, paints, mineral spirits, and alcohols. Class __ Fires
Class B fires
88
Most effective form of extinguishment for class B fires
Oxygen exclusion
89
Fires involving energized electrical equipment are ___________
Class C fires
90
Class C fires can sometimes be controlled by a nonconducting extinguishment agent such as: (3)
Halon Dry chemical Carbon dioxide
91
The fastest extinguishing procedure is to first ________________and then fight the fire appropriately depending on the fuel involved.
de-energized high-voltage circuits
92
________ involve combustible metals such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, potassium plus others include lithium, calcium and zinc.
Class D fires
93
Types of building construction Type I:
Fire resistive construction
94
Types of building construction Type II:
Non-combustible or limited combustible construction
95
Types of building construction Type III:
Ordinary construction

Essentials Of Firefighting (8 decks)

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