Question 63 GLI05 - Master or Mate of LT 200 GRT

The Correct Answer is D. **Why option D ("smothering") is correct:** Foam extinguishes a fire primarily by creating a thick, stable blanket over the surface of the burning fuel. This blanket, composed mainly of water and air (or other gases), physically separates the fuel from the oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere. This action, known as smothering, cuts off the oxygen supply required to sustain the combustion process, causing the fire to go out. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) cooling:** While all fire extinguishing agents containing water (including foam) contribute some cooling, this is a secondary mechanism for foam. The primary mode of extinguishment is interrupting the oxygen supply (smothering). For typical flammable liquid fires (where foam is commonly used), cooling is not the principal reason for successful extinguishment. * **B) inerting the air:** Inerting the air involves replacing the oxygen with a non-flammable gas (like nitrogen or carbon dioxide) to lower the overall oxygen concentration. Foam does not replace the atmospheric air; it simply creates a physical barrier on the fuel surface, preventing the existing oxygen from reaching the fire. * **C) chemical action:** Chemical action generally refers to interrupting the chemical chain reaction of combustion (as halons or dry chemical powders do). Foam works through physical separation (smothering and, secondarily, cooling), not by chemically interfering with the flame reaction itself.