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TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026/2027 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
NEWEST | ALREADY GRADED A+
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
pg. 1
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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
pg. 2
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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
pg. 3
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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.
pg. 4
TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026/2027 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
NEWEST | ALREADY GRADED A+
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
pg. 1
,2|Page
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
pg. 2
,3|Page
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
pg. 3
, 4|Page
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.
pg. 4
