Fire Investigator -
master for TCFP
QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE 2023
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - ANSWER It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - ANSWER Test the
hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - ANSWER Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
,What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
ANSWER Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - ANSWER Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - ANSWER Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - ANSWER Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - ANSWER Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Flameover or
rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - ANSWER Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - ANSWER The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on
materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - ANSWER Plume
Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - ANSWER Physical change in appearance of a material resulting
from the combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - ANSWER Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their
properties. Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - ANSWER 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? -
ANSWER Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand
towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - ANSWER An object blocking the travel of radiated
heat.
What is a dead load? - ANSWER The weight of things attached to the building, like
flooring, cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - ANSWER A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind,
water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - ANSWER Design features of a building that limit fire
growth to the room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - ANSWER Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - ANSWER Exterior walls are masonry and frame is
wood.
What is wood frame construction? - ANSWER Lightweight wood construction, used in
apartments, houses.
What is platform frame construction? - ANSWER Each floor is a seperate platform.
, What is balloon frame construction? - ANSWER The wall studs extend from the
foundation to the roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - ANSWER V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - ANSWER Pressure
What is current? - ANSWER Flow
What is resistance? - ANSWER Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - ANSWER Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current - ANSWER Alternating current - the electrons
flow out from the source and then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service - ANSWER Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated
conductors at 120 V each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system - ANSWER Commercial. Four conductors: Three insulated
conductors (480, 240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference between grounding and bonding? - ANSWER Grounding
connects the system to the earth (ground). Bonding connects to systems together so
the charge stays the same between them.
What is overcurrent protection? - ANSWER A device that protects the system from
excess current. Includes:
Circuit breakers
Plug fuses
Type S fuses
Time delay fuses
Cartridge fuses
What are the colors of residential wires? - ANSWER Hot - black or red
Neutral - gray or white
Ground - bare or green
What are some methods of electrical heat production? - ANSWER Resistance heating
Short circuit
Ground fault
Parting Arc
Excessive current
master for TCFP
QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE 2023
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - ANSWER It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion
Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - ANSWER Test the
hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - ANSWER Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
,What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
ANSWER Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - ANSWER Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - ANSWER Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - ANSWER Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - ANSWER A fire that is limited by the amount of
oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - ANSWER Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Flameover or
rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - ANSWER Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - ANSWER The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on
materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - ANSWER Plume
Generated patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - ANSWER Physical change in appearance of a material resulting
from the combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - ANSWER Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their
properties. Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - ANSWER 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? - ANSWER Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - ANSWER 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? -
ANSWER Bulbs 25 watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand
towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - ANSWER An object blocking the travel of radiated
heat.
What is a dead load? - ANSWER The weight of things attached to the building, like
flooring, cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - ANSWER A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind,
water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - ANSWER Design features of a building that limit fire
growth to the room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - ANSWER Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - ANSWER Exterior walls are masonry and frame is
wood.
What is wood frame construction? - ANSWER Lightweight wood construction, used in
apartments, houses.
What is platform frame construction? - ANSWER Each floor is a seperate platform.
, What is balloon frame construction? - ANSWER The wall studs extend from the
foundation to the roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - ANSWER V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - ANSWER Pressure
What is current? - ANSWER Flow
What is resistance? - ANSWER Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - ANSWER Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current - ANSWER Alternating current - the electrons
flow out from the source and then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service - ANSWER Residential. Three conductors: Two insulated
conductors at 120 V each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system - ANSWER Commercial. Four conductors: Three insulated
conductors (480, 240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference between grounding and bonding? - ANSWER Grounding
connects the system to the earth (ground). Bonding connects to systems together so
the charge stays the same between them.
What is overcurrent protection? - ANSWER A device that protects the system from
excess current. Includes:
Circuit breakers
Plug fuses
Type S fuses
Time delay fuses
Cartridge fuses
What are the colors of residential wires? - ANSWER Hot - black or red
Neutral - gray or white
Ground - bare or green
What are some methods of electrical heat production? - ANSWER Resistance heating
Short circuit
Ground fault
Parting Arc
Excessive current
