Terms

Question 1

What is a corrosive substance, and why is it significant?

Answer 1

Corrosive substances, such as acids (pH < 7) and bases (pH > 7), destroy materials and tissue, posing risks to responders and equipment.

Question 2

What is air reactivity?

Answer 2

Air-reactive materials ignite or react violently with air, such as alkali metals or pyrophoric substances.

Question 3

What is auto-refrigeration?

Answer 3

Auto-refrigeration occurs when rapid evaporation cools a liquid to freezing temperatures, potentially causing equipment failure or frostbite.

Question 4

What are biological agents and toxins?

Answer 4

Biological agents are organisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses) or their toxins (e.g., ricin) that cause harm through disease or poisoning.

Question 5

What are blood agents?

Answer 5

Blood agents, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN), interfere with oxygen transport in the blood, causing asphyxiation.

Question 6

What is the boiling point?

Answer 6

The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid becomes vapor; water’s boiling point is 100°C (212°F) at 1 atm pressure.

Question 7

What is a catalyst?

Answer 7

A catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed, such as enzymes in biological systems.

Question 8

What is a chemical change?

Answer 8

A chemical change alters a substance’s molecular structure, producing a new substance (e.g., combustion).

Question 9

What are chemical interactions?

Answer 9

Chemical interactions occur when substances react together, potentially creating hazardous conditions.

Question 10

What is the difference between a compound and a mixture?

Answer 10

Compounds are chemically bonded (e.g., H₂O), while mixtures are physically combined (e.g., air).

Question 11

What is concentration?

Answer 11

Concentration measures the amount of a substance in a mixture, often in ppm or mg/L.

Question 12

What is critical temperature and pressure related to gases?

Answer 12

The critical temperature and pressure define the point where a gas cannot be liquefied, no matter the pressure applied.

Question 13

What is dissociation in acids and bases?

Answer 13

Dissociation occurs when acids or bases split into ions in water (e.g., HCl → H⁺ + Cl⁻).

Question 14

What is a dose?

Answer 14

A dose is the amount of a substance absorbed by an organism, affecting the severity of its impact.

Question 15

What is a dose-response relationship?

Answer 15

The dose-response relationship shows how an organism’s response changes with increasing exposure levels.

Question 16

What is expansion ratio?

Answer 16

Expansion ratio measures how much a liquid expands when vaporized; liquid propane expands by 270 times.

Question 17

What is the fire point?

Answer 17

The fire point is the temperature at which a liquid’s vapors sustain combustion, slightly above the flashpoint.

Question 18

What are the flammable limits?

Answer 18

Flammable limits are the concentration range (LEL to UEL) in which a substance can ignite; methane’s range is 5-15%.

Question 19

What is the flashpoint?

Answer 19

The flashpoint is the minimum temperature at which a liquid’s vapors ignite when exposed to an ignition source.

Question 20

What is half-life?

Answer 20

The time it takes for half of a radioactive substance or chemical to decay or degrade.

Question 21

What are halogenated hydrocarbons?

Answer 21

Hydrocarbons with halogen atoms (e.g., chlorine or bromine), often used as refrigerants or solvents.

Question 22

What is the auto ignition temperature?

Answer 22

The ignition temperature is the minimum temperature at which a material ignites without an external flame.

Question 23

What is an inhibitor?

Answer 23

An inhibitor slows or stops a chemical reaction, such as rust inhibitors for metals.

Question 24

What is instability?

Answer 24

Instability refers to a material’s tendency to decompose or react dangerously when exposed to heat or shock.

Question 25

What is the difference between ionic and covalent compounds?

Answer 25

Ionic compounds form by transferring electrons (e.g., NaCl), while covalent compounds share electrons (e.g., H₂O).

Question 26

What are irritants?

Answer 26

Irritants like tear gas cause temporary pain or discomfort to the eyes, skin, or respiratory system.

Question 27

What is the MSST?

Answer 27

The highest temperature at which a material can be safely stored without decomposition.

Question 28

What is the melting/freezing point?

Answer 28

The temperature at which a substance changes between solid and liquid states; water freezes at 0°C (32°F).

Question 29

What is miscibility?

Answer 29

Miscibility is the ability of liquids to mix completely, like water and ethanol.

Question 30

What are nerve agents?

Answer 30

Nerve agents like Sarin and VX disrupt the nervous system by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, leading to paralysis.

Question 31

What is the difference between organic and inorganic substances?

Answer 31

Organic substances contain carbon, while inorganic substances do not.

Question 32

What is oxidation potential?

Answer 32

Oxidation potential measures a material’s tendency to lose electrons, which indicates its reactivity.

Question 33

What is persistence?

Answer 33

Persistence refers to how long a chemical remains hazardous in the environment; VX is highly persistent.

Question 34

What does pH measure?

Answer 34

pH measures acidity or alkalinity on a scale of 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline).

Question 35

What is a physical change?

Answer 35

A physical change alters appearance or state without changing chemical composition.

Question 36

What are the physical states of matter?

Answer 36

Matter can exist as solid, liquid, or gas, depending on temperature and pressure.

Question 37

What is polymerization?

Answer 37

Polymerization is a reaction where small molecules (monomers) join to form larger molecules (polymers), sometimes causing violent reactions if uncontrolled.

Question 38

What is radioactivity?

Answer 38

Radioactivity is the emission of radiation as unstable atomic nuclei decay, measured in becquerels (Bq) or curies (Ci).

Question 39

What is reactivity?

Answer 39

Reactivity refers to a substance’s tendency to undergo chemical changes, such as combining with other chemicals, potentially causing hazardous reactions like explosions or releases of heat.

Question 40

What are riot control agents?

Answer 40

Riot control agents, like CS gas or pepper spray, are chemical compounds used to cause temporary irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory systems for crowd control.

Question 41

What are saturated, unsaturated, and aromatic hydrocarbons?

Answer 41

* Saturated hydrocarbons have single bonds (e.g., methane). * Unsaturated hydrocarbons have double or triple bonds (e.g., ethene). * Aromatic hydrocarbons contain benzene rings (e.g., toluene).

Question 42

What is SADT?

Answer 42

SADT is the temperature at which a substance begins to decompose uncontrollably, potentially leading to fire or explosion.

Question 43

What is solubility?

Answer 43

Solubility is the ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent, such as salt dissolving in water.

Question 44

What is the difference between a solution and a slurry?

Answer 44

A solution is a homogeneous mixture of substances, while a slurry is a mixture of solids suspended in a liquid.

Question 45

What is specific gravity?

Answer 45

Specific gravity is the ratio of a substance’s density to the density of water; water has a specific gravity of 1.

Question 46

What does strength refer to in chemistry?

Answer 46

Strength refers to the concentration or effectiveness of a substance, such as a strong acid releasing more hydrogen ions (H⁺).

Question 47

What is sublimation?

Answer 47

Sublimation is the process where a solid changes directly to a gas without becoming a liquid first, such as dry ice turning into carbon dioxide gas.

Question 48

Why is the temperature of a product significant?

Answer 48

The temperature of a product affects its state, reactivity, and pressure, influencing storage and handling safety.