COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE FSXFIRETECH-5081

Bautista, Sean G. HOLY ANGEL EDUCATION & FORENSICS (CCJEF)

FS-301 UNIVERSITY
BACHELOR OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
Week 1: Research what are Elements of Fire and Transmission of
Heat

People are constantly cautioned to beware of fire and materials that can simply cause fires
(flammable substances). The simple argument for this is that fire is toxic to the bodies. If our skin gets
into contact with fire, it burns, so it should be prevented and measures must always be used when
engaging with fire. Fire is primarily the effect of a chemical process requiring the existence of air (oxygen
in the air) as well as fuel such as gasoline, kerosene, or wood. The three elements of fire are Oxygen,
Heat, and Fuel. Oxygen is a colorless, odorless gas that is approximately 21% by volume of the
component of air. The second component is heat which form of energy that is generated by the
transformation of some other form of energy as in the combustion of burning. Lastly, fuel is any
substance of fuel that reacts chemically with oxygen that produces flame or burning.

In addition to these two major components, heat is a significant element in the production of fire.
All of the above elements, once combined, lead to the emergence of fire. These three essential parts are
believed to form a fire triangle, that has to be included in the appropriate composition for there to be a
flame. Whenever the fuel starts to burn, that is, when the fuel is heated with the help of oxygen, the fuel
begins to ignite. But, if one element is not present when igniting and producing a fire then the fuel will
not begin a fire and it would not escalate.

According to thermodynamic systems, heat transfer is defined as “The movement of heat across
the border of the system due to a difference in temperature between the system and its surroundings.” The
three independent processes that transfer or expand heat are conduction, convection, and radiation. The
conduction is the transfer of energy from one medium particle to another while the particles are in direct
touch with each other. One example of conduction is when we iron our clothes because of the direct
contact of heat with the cloth. Convection is the transfer of fluid molecules from greater temperatures to
lesser temperatures such as the boiling of water. Lastly, radiation is the action of transferring heat from
one location to another without the need for a material medium. It is a much faster process than
conduction or convection. The medium is not heated during this method. One example of this is the UV
rays that come from the sun.

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