FOR 301 - Ch. 18: Fire and Explosives

Eastern Kentucky University

accelerant

fuels that are easily vaporized and support combustion and are highly exothermic

activation energy

necessary to elevate the fuel and oxygen molecules into an excited state so they can undergo chemical reactions - ignition temp is necessary to meet these requirementsa

endothermic reaction

a reaction that requires the input of energy in order for the reaction to take place

exothermic reaction

a reaction that releases energy as one of its products (all combustion reactions are an example of this)

fire tetrahedron

depicts the elements that must be present in order to have a fire: oxygen, heat, fuel, and a chain reaction

flash point

the lowest temperature that will allow a liquid to produce a flammable vapor

detonation

instantaneous combustion