GRADE 11 DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION (for STEM and GAS) from other oxidation processes by its

from other oxidation processes by its rate. It takes place very fast and produces light (flame),
MODULE 2 eat, sound, smoke, and many other by-products.
Q2 WK 3-4

Objectives: INGREDIENTS OF FIRE

At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. Enumerate the beneficial and harmful effects of fire.
2. List the required ingredients to start a fire.
3. Define the stage in the development of fire.
4. Describe how fires may be controlled.

Topics: Fire Tetrahedron

Reference: Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction pp. 259-263

FIRE TETRAHEDRON
The fire tetrahedron, which is a triangular pyramid, is a visual ai that reminds us of
Fire has been used for thousands of years by early humans for survival. Indeed, his control the four important ingredients required to initiate and sustain fire, namely: 1) heat, 2) fuel, 3)
of fire has brought him a long way. Fire has been one of the important tools in building both an oxidizing agent, and 4) and uninhabited chemical reaction. When all four ingredients are
ancient and modern civilizations. Up to this day, fire still maintains an important role in man’s present in the right amount, a fire will occur naturally. Therefore, removing at least one of the
daily life—it is still being used in cooking, baking, heating, lighting, pottery and bricks making, ingredients can prevent or extinguish any fire.
metal tools forging, signaling, propulsion, and in necessary change in ecosystems around the
world. For instance, it influences the type and population of flora and fauna in a forest where
Heat is energy that flows from an object of high temperature to an object of flow
fire is known to recur. But when fire comes loose, its destructive side is revealed.
temperature. It should be of an amount which is enough to liberate the vapor from the solid and
liquid forms of fuel and cause ignition. Heat can be produced in many ways, both by man and
WHAT IS FIRE nature. Early humans used friction between the surfaces of two objects, like sticks being rubbed
against each other, to convert kinetic energy to heat. Lightning strikes during thunderstorms,
Fire was considered by the ancient Greeks as a major element just like earth, water, and on the other hand, reach temperature of almost 30,000°C and start wildfires.
air. However, unlike earth, water, and air—which take form of solid, liquid, and gas,
respectively— fire is not a form of matter. It is indeed tangible; its flame can be seen, its heat
can be felt, and smoke can be smelled, but it is actually just a manifestation of matter changing
from one state to another.

Fire is a part of a very rapid, and usually persistent chemical reaction called oxidation.
Oxidation involves the combination of oxygen and another substance. It is actually a very
familiar process which many people just might not be aware of. Oxidation is also responsible
for the brown color that forms on the face of an apple or a potato a few minutes after is has
been cut, the tarnishing of silver utensils and jewelry, and the corrosion of iron. Fire is set apart

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 the absence of oxygen as long other oxidizing agents such as the following are present:
bromates, bromine, chlorates, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, nitrates, nitric acid, nitrates,
perchlorates, peroxides, and permanganates.

An uninhabited chemical chain reaction. Combustion or burning—an exothermic

reaction becomes self-sustained because the heat given off during combustion (which is
greater than the amount of heat required for the reaction to occur in the first place) is used
again to heat the fuel and maintain the burning. The initial ignition source is no longer necessary
and the fire continues unless it becomes deprived of one of the main elements. Clean agent
halon replacements are used to break this chain reaction.

STAGES OF FIRE

The following are the four stages of fire which are applicable both to compartments and to
There are three main ways in which heat can be transferred: conduction, convection, and
wildfires:
radiation. a) Conduction involves direct contact of substances, typically solids, for heat to be
transferred. b) Convection involves the flow of liquids and gases in the transfer of heat. When
1. Ignition (Incipient) stage
liquids and gases are heated, they expand. These gases and liquids, as a result, have a lower
At this stage, all four requirements for a fire have been combined, the fire is
density that allows them to rise. Upon cooling, these eventually fall and become displaced by
very small that it can still be controlled by a portable fire extinguisher or small hose
subsequently heated gases and liquids. This cycle creates a current of hot air, called a
line, or it may even go out on its own. Recognizing this stage of a fire is crucial in
convection current, which has the ability to heat easily combustible objects in its surroundings.
successfully extinguishing or escaping the fire before it causes destruction.
c) Radiation is a manner of heat transfer that require direct contact or a liquid or gas for heat
to be transferred. Nonetheless, the heat absorbed by a substance is greater if it is closer. This
type of heating explains the burning of a paper or a dry leaf when a ray of light is focused on it
2. Growth stage
using a magnifying lens.
The growth stage of a fire is the shortest of the four stages. It takes place when
the heat release rate increases as result of the burning of additional fuel. The rate of
Fuel is any solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that can be burned. For combustion to take
growth of a fire is dependent on the amount of available oxygen; enhanced air
place, fuels must be converted into a gaseous state. This is because combustion actually takes
circulation promotes fire growth. More surfaces are ignited by means of convection and
place just above the solid or liquid fuels which produces gas fuels through the application of
radiation. During this stage, a rollover may occur. This happens when gases wise to
heat. Vaporization, on the other hand, is the production of fuel gas from liquid fuels. Unlike solid
the ceiling and cause fire to spread out horizontally in a “rolling” manner, burning only
and liquid fuels, gaseous fuels ignite and burn readily and do not require the application of
gases and not any other material.
additional heat before combustion. This makes it harder to manage and extinguish gas fuel
fires.
If heat continues to build, this may lead to flashover. A flashover is the non-
explosive, abrupt spread of fire through the air to almost all exposed combustible
An oxidizing agent (also oxidizer or oxidant) is an element or a compound which releases
objects due to the burning of vapors of objects which have reached their auto-ignition
oxygen or other oxidizers during a chemical reaction. The most common oxidizing agent is
temperature.
oxygen. Air typically contains approximately 21% oxygen. An oxidizing agent itself does not
burn; rather it supports combustion when combined with a fuel. Notably, the intensity of burning
fire is proportional to the concentration of oxygen. Interestingly, burning could actually occur in
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 3. Fully-developed fire stage ASSESSMENT
During this stage, fire has consumed almost all of the available combustible
materials. Oxygen is being consumed rapidly and maximum temperatures are 1. Enumerate and explain the role of each component of the fire tetrahedron in combustion.
reached. 2. Why do fires become uncontrollable? How can we prevent fire damage?

4. Decay stage
The decay stage, which lasts the longest, takes place when oxygen and fuel
begins to diminish. The fire consumes the remaining fuel. During this stage, the
temperature decreases significantly and the fire becomes weaker. One must not AGREEMENT
assume that the fire situation is already under control because smoldering fire may Procedure:
start a new fire if it is not entirely extinguished. There is also the possibility that
backdraft may occur. 1. Cut out pictures of the different types of places where you frequently spend a significant
part of your time from magazines, newspapers, or better yet, print out pictures of the
Backdraft is an explosive fire that happens due the sudden introduction of
actual places where you spend a lot of time.
oxygen into an enclosed structure, like a house, which has been deprived of air for
quite some time. Oxygen may enter into a house on fire when a window breaks or 2. Make a list of the possible fire hazards, mark these (by outlining or by drawing arrows),
when a door is opened. That is why it is not safe to go into a house during a fire to and explain the basis for identifying these as possible causes of fire.
save your belongings, pets, or even other people. Fire fighters are trained to identify
signs of backdrafts and other rapid fire progression phenomena. 3. Write in on paper for submission and for documentations.

ACTIVITY
Direction: Identify the following. Write your answer on whole sheet of paper for submissions.

____________1. It is energy that flows from an object of high temperature to an object of low
temperature.
____________2. It is any solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that can be burned.
____________3. Has been used for thousands of years by early humans for survival.
____________4. Is an explosive fire that happens due the sudden introduction of an oxygen
into an enclosed structure, like a house, which has been deprived of air for
quite some time.
____________5. Involves the flow of liquids and gases in the transfer of heat.