ABSTRACT
Fire has frequently been defined as the rapid oxidation process with the evolution of heat and light. An explosion is the sudden conversion of potential energy (chemical or mechanical) into kinetic energy with a production and release of gases under pressure. These may be divided into two subdefinitions: high order explosion (a rapid pressure rise or high force explosion characterized by shattering the confining structure or container) and a low order explosion (a slow rate of pressurization or low force explosion characterized by a pushing or dislodging the confining structure or container). The components necessary for a fire are best described by the fire tetrahedron (a four-sided solid geometric form) made up of the four components: fuel, heat, oxygen, and uninhibited chemical chain reactions. The behavior of a fire can be affected by the addition or subtraction of any of the components during the progression or suppression of a fire. The fuel is any substance that will burn or support combustion. Fuels are found in three basic states: solid, liquid, or gaseous vapor. An example of solid fuel is wood, a liquid (gasoline), and a gaseous vapor (natural gas).
