fire technology and arson investigation Flashcards
4 General Categories Of Heat Energy
Chemical Heat Energy
Electrical Heat Energy
Mechanical Heat Energy
Nuclear Heat Energy
a phenomenon in which a fire that has consumed all available oxygen suddenly explodes when more oxygen is made available, typically because a door or window has been opened.
Backdraft
The temperature of a substance where the rate of
evaporation exceeds the rate of condensation.
boiling point
(BTU) The amount of heat needed to raise the
temperature of one pound of water one degree F.
british thermal unit
The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one
gram of water one degree Centigrade.
calorie
(Celcius) On the Centigrade scale, zero is the melting
point of ice; 100 degrees is the boiling point of water.
centigrade
The amount of heat generated by the combustion (oxidation) process.
heat of combustion
The release of heat from decomposing compounds. These compounds may be unstable and release their heat very quickly or they may detonate.
heat decomposition
The heat released by the mixture of matter in a liquid. Some acids, when dissolved, give off sufficient heat to pose exposure problems to nearby combustibles.
heat of solution
The heating of an organic substance without the addition of external heat.
spontaneous heating
occurs most frequently where sufficient air is not present to dissipate the heat produced. The speed of a heating reaction doubles with each 180 F (80 C) temperature increase.
Spontaneous Heating
Classification of Fires
Class A Fire - Fires involving ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber and many plastics.
Class B Fires - Fires involving flammable liquids, greases and gases.
Class C Fires - Fires involving energized electrical equipment.
Class D Fires - Fires involving combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium and potassium.
Class K Fires - Class K is a new classification of fire as of 1998 and involves fires in combustible cooking fuels such as vegetable or animal fats.
the self-sustaining process of rapid oxidation of a
fuel being reduced by an oxidizing agent along with the evolution of heat and light.
combustion
method of fire extinguishment, interrupt the flame producing chemical reaction, resulting in rapid extinguishment.
dry chemicals and halons
The heating that results from the action of either pulsating direct current, or alternating current at high frequency on a non-conductive material.
dialectric heating
Heat released either as a high-temperature arc or as molten material from the conductor.
heat from arcing
The heat generated by the discharged of thousands of volts from either earth to cloud, cloud to cloud or from cloud to ground.
heat generated by lightning
The heating of materials resulting from an alternating current flow causing a magnetic field influence.
induction heating
The heat resulting from imperfect or improperly insulated electrical materials. This is particularly evident where the insulation is required to handle high voltage or loads near maximum capacity.
Leakage Current Heating
The heat generated by passing an electrical force through a conductor such as a wire or an appliance.
resistance heating
Heat released as an arc between oppositely charged surfaces. Static electricity can be generated by the contact and separation of charged surfaces or by fluids flowing through pipes.
static electricity heating
A chemical reaction where a substance
absorbs heat energy.
endothermic heat reaction
A chemical reaction where a substance
gives off heat energy.
exothermic heat reaction
On the Fahrenheit scale, 32 degrees is the melting point
of ice; 212 degrees is the boiling point of water.
Fahrenheit
The temperature at which a liquid fuel will produce
vapors sufficient to support combustion once ignited. The fire point is usually a few degrees above the flash point.
fire point
Oxygen, Fuel, Heat
Fire Triangle
(FNTI) the Institution for training on human resource development of all personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Fire National Training Institute
A gas-phased combustion.
flame
The percentage of a substance in air
that will burn once it is ignited. Most substances have an upper (too rich) and a lower (too lean) flammable limit.
flamable or explosive limit
an instance of a fire spreading very rapidly across a gap
because of intense heat. Occurs when a room or other area becomes heated to the point where flames flash over the entire surface or area.
flash over
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, the ignited vapors will flash, but will not continue to burn.
flash point
is the material or substance being oxidized or burned in the combustion process. Material such as coal, gas, or oil that is burned to produce heat or power.
fuel
method of fire extinguishment, fire is effectively
extinguished by removing the fuel source. This may be accomplished by stopping the flow of liquid or gaseous fuel or by removing solid fuel in the path of the fire or allow the fire to burn until all fuel is consumed.
fuel removal
A condensed phased combustion.
glowing combustion
the quality of being hot; high temperature. A form of energy arising from the random motion of the molecules of bodies, which may be transferred by conduction, convection, or radiation.
heat
transfer of energy, from a hotter body to a colder one, other than by work or transfer of matter.
heating
The amount of heat generated by the combustion
(oxidation) process.
heat of combustion
Heat Transfer
Conduction - Conduction is the transfer of energy through matter from particle to particle. Heat may be conducted from one body to another by direct contact of the two bodies or by an intervening heat-conducting medium.
Convection - is the transfer of heat by the actual movement of the warmed matter. Transfer of heat by the movement of air or liquid.
Radiation - Electromagnetic waves that directly transport energy through space.
The minimum temperature to which a fuel in air
must be heated in order to start self-sustained combustion independent of the heating source.
Ignition Temperature
The form of energy that raises temperature. Heat is measured by the amount of work it does.
Heat
The release of heat from decomposing compounds.
These compounds may be unstable and release their heat very quickly or they may detonate.
heat of decomposition
The heat released by the mixture of matter in a
liquid. Some acids, when dissolved, give off sufficient heat to pose exposure problems to nearby combustibles.
heat of solution
The heat generated by the movement between two objects in contact with each other.
frictional heat
The heat generated in the form of sparks from solid objects striking each other. Most often at least one of the objects is metal.
friction sparks
The heat generated by the forced reduction of a gaseous volume. Diesel engines ignite fuel vapor without a spark plug by the use of this principle.
heat of compression
The heat generated by either the
splitting or combining of atoms.
nuclear fission and fusion
The complex chemical reaction of organic material with
oxygen or other oxidizing agents in the formation of more stable compounds.
oxidation
are those materials that yield oxygen or other
oxidizing gases during the course of a chemical reaction.
oxidizing agents
is the reduction of the oxygen concentration to
the fire area.
oxygen dillution
Phases of Fire
Incipient Phase (Growth Stage) Free-Burning Phase (Fully Developed Stage) Smoldering Phase (Decay Stage)