questions for TCFP Fire Investigator With complete
solution New!! 100% verified correct 2025/2026
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - CORRECT ANSWERS It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - CORRECT ANSWERS 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? - CORRECT ANSWERS Analyze the
data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - CORRECT ANSWERS Test the
hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - CORRECT ANSWERS Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Endothermic
,What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - CORRECT ANSWERS Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - CORRECT ANSWERS Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - CORRECT ANSWERS Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - CORRECT ANSWERS A fire that is limited by the amount of
combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - CORRECT ANSWERS A fire that is limited by the amount
of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - CORRECT ANSWERS Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - CORRECT ANSWERS The transition phase from growth to fully
developed, where all surfaces reach ignition temperature almost simultaneously.
What is ignition of the underside of the hot gas layer called? - CORRECT ANSWERS Flameover
or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - CORRECT ANSWERS Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
,Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - CORRECT ANSWERS The physical manifestation of the affects of fire
on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Plume Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - CORRECT ANSWERS 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? - CORRECT ANSWERS Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - CORRECT ANSWERS Physical change in appearance of a material resulting
from the combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - CORRECT ANSWERS Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their
properties. Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - CORRECT ANSWERS 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? - CORRECT ANSWERS Elemental carbon produced during incomplete
combustion.
What is calcination? - CORRECT ANSWERS 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? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the
fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - CORRECT ANSWERS An object blocking the travel of radiated
heat.
What is a dead load? - CORRECT ANSWERS The weight of things attached to the building, like
flooring, cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - CORRECT ANSWERS A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind,
water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - CORRECT ANSWERS Design features of a building that limit fire
growth to the room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - CORRECT ANSWERS Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame