Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) — Question 46

When vaporization of a solid occurs with chemical decomposition, it is known as:

Answer options

• A. melting.
• B. sublimation.
• C. evaporation.
• D. pyrolysis.

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is D, pyrolysis, which refers to the thermal decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures in an inert atmosphere. Melting (A) is the transition from solid to liquid, sublimation (B) is the direct transition from solid to gas without passing through the liquid phase, and evaporation (C) is the process of turning from liquid into vapor, none of which involve chemical decomposition.