Terms: A

Question 1

Abductive reasoning

Answer 1

the process of reasoning to the best explanations for a phenomenon.

Question 2

Absolute temperature

Answer 2

a temperature measured in Kelvins (K) or Rankines (R).

Question 3

Accelerant

Answer 3

a fuel or oxidizer, often an ignitable liquid, intentionally used to initiate a fire or increase the rate of growth or spread of fire.

Question 4

Accident

Answer 4

an unplanned event that interrupts an activity and sometimes causes injury or damage or a chance occurrence arising from unknown causes; an unexpected happening due to carelessness ignorance, and the like.

Question 5

Accidental fire cause classification

Answer 5

accidental fires involve all those for which the proven cause does not involve an intentional human act to ignite or spread fire into an area where the fire should not be.

Question 6

Adiabatic

Answer 6

the ideal conditions of equilibrium of temperature and pressure. The actual flame temperature of wood has been measured and reported as being some 500°C less (estimated to be 1040°C or 1900°F)

Question 7

Adiabatic heating

Answer 7

the heating of a gas caused by its compression.

Question 8

Adsorption

Answer 8

trapping of gaseous materials on the surface of a solid substrate.

Question 9

Aliphatic

Answer 9

relating to or being an organic compound (such as an alkane) having an open-chain structure.

Question 10

Alligatoring

Answer 10

rectangular patterns of char formed on burned wood.

Question 11

Ambient

Answer 11

someone’s or something’s surroundings, especially as they pertain to the local environment; for example, ambient air and ambient temperature.

Question 12

Ambient temperature

Answer 12

the temperature of the surrounding medium; usually used to refer to the temperature of the air in which a structure is situated or a device operated.

Question 13

Ampacity

Answer 13

the maximum current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating.

Question 14

Ampere

Answer 14

the unit of electric current that is equivalent to a flow of one coulomb per second; one coulomb is defined as 6.24×10^18 electrons.

Question 15

Annealing

Answer 15

loss of temper in metal caused by heating.

Question 16

Anoxia

Answer 16

condition relating to an absence of oxygen.

Question 17

Appliance

Answer 17

utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, that is normally built in standardized sizes or types and is installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more functions such as clothes washing, air-conditioning, food mixing, deep frying, and so forth.

Question 18

Arc

Answer 18

a high-temperature luminous electric discharge across a gap or through a medium such as charred insulation.

Question 19

Arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI)

Answer 19

a device intended to provide protection from the effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and by functioning to de-energize the circuit when an arc fault is detected.

Question 20

Arc-fault mapping

Answer 20

the systematic evaluation of the electrical circuit configuration, spatial relationship of the circuit components, and identification of electrical arc sites to assist in the identification of the area of origin and analysis of the fire’s spread.

Question 21

Arc site

Answer 21

the location on a conductor with localized damage that resulted from an electrical arc.

Question 22

Arcing through char

Answer 22

arcing associated with a matrix or charred material (e.g., charred conductor insulation) that acts as a semi-conductive medium.

Question 23

Arc tracking

Answer 23

a deflagration resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a confined space containing oxygen-deficient products of incomplete combustion.

Question 24

Area of origin

Answer 24

a structure, part of a structure, or general geographic location within a fire scene, in which the “point of origin” of a fire or explosion is reasonably believed to be located.

Question 25

Area of transition

Answer 25

mixture of fire directional indicators in a wildlands fire.

Question 26

Aromatic

Answer 26

an organic compound characterized by increased chemical stability resulting from the delocalization of electrons in a ring system (such as benzene) containing unusually multiple conjugated double bonds.

Question 27

Arrow pattern

Answer 27

a fire pattern displayed on the cross-section of a burned wooden structural member.

Question 28

Arson

Answer 28

the crime of maliciously and intentionally, or recklessly, starting a fire or causing an explosion.

Question 29

Arson

Answer 29

any willful or malicious burning or attempting to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or persona property of another.

Question 30

Atom

Answer 30

the smallest particle of an element that can exist either alone or in combination such as an atom of hydrogen.

Question 31

Autoignition

Answer 31

initiation of combustion by heating but without a spark or flame.

Question 32

Autoignition temperature

Answer 32

the lowest temperature at which a combustible material ignited in air without a spark or flame.