Question 857 Deck Safety

The correct answer is A) pressure from a small CO2 cartridge on the extinguisher. Portable dry chemical fire extinguishers use a pressurized carbon dioxide (CO2) cartridge to discharge the dry chemical powder. When the extinguisher is activated, the CO2 cartridge releases pressure that forces the dry chemical out of the extinguisher and onto the fire. The other answer choices are incorrect because: B) gravity cannot effectively discharge the dry chemical, C) dry chemical extinguishers do not use a hand pump, and D) the dry chemical is not mixed with water to create pressure.