The term used to describe the chemical process of fire is a chemical ______.

• A. PROCESS
• B. REACTION
• C. EXPLOSION
• D. IGNITION

Answer: (B)

Fire is governed by the chemical reaction of combustion, which is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the presence of heat and an oxidizer. In this reaction, chemical bonds in the fuel and oxygen are broken and new bonds form to make carbon dioxide and water, releasing heat and light in the process. The term chemical reaction is the best description because it names the chemical change taking place, not just a general event or initiation. Ignition describes the moment when heat raises the fuel to its ignition temperature and starts the process; it’s the onset, not the ongoing process. An explosion is a very rapid, outward release of energy with a pressure wave, not the typical fire. And “process” is too vague to describe the specific chemical change involved.