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2: Basic Concepts of Fire Behavior

  • Page ID
    66683
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    Learning Objectives
    • Describe fuel, heat, and oxygen, chemical reaction (components of the fire tetrahedron).
    • Explain fire as an oxidation reaction.
    • Define the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases.
    • Define fire as a reaction (oxidation and exothermic reactions).
    • Explain how heat is transferred through conduction, convection, and radiation.
    • Reflect on how the scientific terminology connects to various fires.
    • Define flammable and combustible materials using scientific properties.
    • Define the five classes of fire based on pictures, videos, or demonstrations.

    In order to gain an understanding of concepts related to fire behavior, it is necessary to have an understanding of the basic scientific terminology and scientific principles. This unit will cover the terms and concepts that will be needed to understand the phenomena that are discussed in the remaining units. Some of this terminology is likely a review from your previous educational experiences, and some may be new to you. It is important that you have a solid understanding of each of the terms in this unit. You should be able to describe or define each of these terms in order to prepare for the remainder of this course.

    • 2.1: Scientific Concepts and Terminology
      This page covers essential scientific concepts related to fire dynamics, including states of matter, heat, and temperature.
    • 2.2: Fire Terminology
      This page provides a definition of fire as a rapid oxidation process, explores different flame types, and explains key concepts like fire plumes, heat of combustion, and mass burning rate.
    • 2.3: Fire Triangle
      This page explains the Fire Triangle, which identifies fuel, oxygen, and heat as essential for combustion. It also introduces the Fire Tetrahedron, adding a fourth element: the uninhibited chemical chain reaction.
    • 2.4: Classes of Fire
      This page explains fire classification by fuel type, identifying five main classes: A, B, C, D, and K.
    • 2.5: Summary
      This page reviews fundamental scientific concepts crucial for understanding fire behavior, including definitions of matter, heat, and temperature. The Fire Triangle and Fire Tetrahedron are also reviewed.
    • 2.6: Review
      This page provides review questions covering basic scientific and fire behavior concepts from the unit.


    This page titled 2: Basic Concepts of Fire Behavior was last modified on Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:07:52 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Robert Smith.

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