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CALORIE
The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Centigrade, measured at 15 degrees C. One BTU equals 252 calo¬ries. As heat can be converted to energy, it may be said that one BTU equals 1.055 joules; one BTU per minute equals 0.0236 horse power.
CARBON
A nonmetallic chemical element found in many inorganic and all organic compounds. Diamonds and graphite are pure carbon, and carbon is also present in substances such as coal, coke, charcoal, soot and smoke. Wood and some fabrics commonly deteriorate to carbon and charcoal in the process of decomposition and are subject to spontaneous heating in piles.
CARBON BLACK
This may be formed by the incomplete combustion of natural gas and a liquid hydrocarbon or by a liquid hydrocarbon alone. It occludes oxygen and slow smoldering combustion may easily result if stored without proper cooling and ventilation. After thorough cooling and airing, carbon black will not heat spontaneously although heating may result from mixture with oxidizable oils. Dust explosion hazards may exist where carbon black is processed or stored.
CARBON DIOXIDE
Gas which may be a product of combustion.
CARBON MONOXIDE
Gas which may be a product of combustion.
CAUSE
As used in fire investigation, identifying and describing the igniting agent or heat source of a particular fire. For example, some causes could be; "match ignited and thrown into combustibles.", "friction from electric motor belt from thrown bearings.", and "incendiary origin Molotov cocktail ignited and thrown into window of dwelling which then ignited draperies and carpet."
CENTIGRADE
One Centigrade degree is 1/100 the difference between the temperature of the freezing and boiling points of water at one atmosphere of pressure. 0 is the freezing point and 100 is the boiling point of water.
CHARCOAL
A black form of carbon produced by partial burning of oxidizing wood or other organic matter and compounds. Under certain conditions, charcoal reacts with air to heat spontaneously and ignites into self sustained flaming combustion. The more finely the charcoal is divided, the greater the hazard of combustion. Spontaneous heating may result from lack of sufficient cooling; lack of ventilation; becoming wet, then drying without ventilation; friction; being finely divided without ventilation; or leaving the residue in a chemically unstable condi¬tion.
CHARRED
Used to define carbonization from luminous and non-luminous combustion, spontaneous ignition process or pyrolysis.
CINDER
A hot, but not flaming, piece of partly burned material.
CIRCUIT BREAKER
A type of electrical overcurrent device. There are circuit breakers and oil circuit breakers; adjustable and nonadjustable; and instantaneous and delay, with thermal tripping mechanisms. (REF: National Electrical Code) Overcurrent protection devices include thermal cutouts which are not intended to open short circuits or grounds, but may be used to protect motors and heavy branch circuits from overload, and plug fuses which are produced in sever-al types including the onetime and the time delay (Type S), which is designed to discourage tampering or bridging. Overcurrent devices also include thermal cutouts which are not intended to open short circuits, but may be utilized to protect motors and motor branch circuits from overload. Others include various types and classes of cartridge fuses which may be equipped with drop out links, onetime fuses, super lag renewable, as well as dual element fuses of the blade and ferrule type. (REF: National Electrical Code)
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
Proof of circumstances surrounding the transaction; proof of certain facts and circumstances in a given case from which a jury may infer other connected facts which usually and reasonably follow according to the common experience of mankind.
CITY GAS
This gas may be natural, manufactured, or liquified petroleum gas, or mixtures of any of these. Natural gas seems to be in most common use today and consists mainly of methane, a small amount of ethane, possibly some propane, butane, small amounts of carbon dioxide, and varying amounts of nitrogen. In compound the result is a lighter than air mixture at the meter.
COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
Liquids with a flash point at or above 200 Degrees Fahrenheit are sometimes referred to as combustible liquids. When a combustible liquid is heated to or above its flash point, it may have some of the hazards of a flammable liquid. (See Flammable Liquids)
COMBUSTIBLE SOLIDS
Those solids found in greatest abundance in properties which constitute the greatest bulk of property destroyed by fire. These include all materials which will ignite and burn or undergo substantial chemical change when subjected to heat or flame. The chemical makeup of most ordinary combustible solids is carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen with lesser percentages of nitrogen and other elements. Cellulose is the main component of wood by weight; paper is almost pure cellulose. Cotton consists of 90 percent cellulose. Animal fibers consist of protein molecules containing high percentages of nitrogen as well as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
COMPETENCY OF A WITNESS
A person is competent to testify if he has sufficient understanding to receive, remember, and narrate impressions and is sensible to and understands the obligation of another. Competency also entails an adequate ability to observe, mental capacity, and other relevant factors.
CONDUCTION
The process by which heat is communicated from one body to another by direct contact or through an intervening solid liquid or heat conducting medium. Some examples are; a steam pipe in contact with wood; a chimney flue in contact with attic or ceiling framing; a chimney flue in contact with attic or ceiling framing; a pair of pliers in contact with electrical conductors that are grounded through an electrode. The amount of heat transferred depends upon the heat conductivity of the materials and the area of thickness of the conducting mass. The rate of transfer is in direct proportion to the temperature differential between the points of entrance and departure.
CONSUME
To destroy as by fire. To waste or burn away.
CONTRACT
An agreement by which a person undertakes to do or not to do a particular thing. Within the meaning of the federal contract clause of the Federal Constitution, the term includes not only contracts as the word is ordinarily understood, but all instruments, ordinances, and measures which embody the inherent qualities or purposes of contacts and carry reciprocal obligations of good faith. (REF: Ballentine's definition of contracts.)
CONTRACT MALA IS SE
This term includes all contracts of an immoral nature, iniquitous in themselves, and those opposed to sound public policy. Where both parties are in peridilcto (in equal fault), neither as a general rule, will be accorded relief in a court of law.
CONTRACT OF INSURANCE
An agreement by which one party in a consideration promises to pay money or its equivalent, or do some act of values to the as-sured upon the destruction or injury of something in which the other party has an interest.
CONVECTION
The process by which heat is moved by air differences, usually in a rising or circular pattern. For example, in the case of air circulation in a room, heat from a stove will move laterally if there is an obstruction to vertical movement such as a ceiling and vertically if there is an obstruction to horizontal movement such as a wall.
CONVERSION OF CENTIGRADE TO FAHRENHEIT
The formula for converting Centigrade to Fahrenheit is: F = 9/5C +32.
Example: convert 10C to F
F = 9/5C + 32
F = 9/5(1¬0) + 32
F = 18 + 32 = 50 F
The formula for converting Fahrenheit to Centigrade is: C = 9/5F +32.
CORPUS DELICTI
The body of the crime, assuming that the specific crime charged has actually been committed by someone. The corpus delicti is made up of two elements; first that a certain result has been produced (i.e. a man has died or a building has been burned); and second, that someone is criminally responsible. (REF: Ballentine on corpus delicti and 7R.C.L.774) The corpus delicti specifically implies the body of the offense, or the substance of the crime.
In an arson case, the corpus delicti consists of two elements; first, that the fire occurred (the burning or fire must at least extend to a charring of the wood or fabric to satisfy the legal requirements of burning); and second, that a fire resulted from the willful and intentional ignition by a criminal agency. The first must be shown by affirmative evidence. The second may be shown by direct or circumstantial evidence. For example, if flammable liquids were present in the library of a dwelling and ignited by a trailer extend-ing from the door, the corpus delicti may be established by providing the occurrence of fire and second, eliminating all reasonable, accidental sources of ignition such as electrical, mechanical, smoking, lightning, etc.
CRIME
Under interpretations in our system, crime is a wrong of public character because it possesses elements of evil which effect the pubic as a whole and not merely the person whose rights of person or property have been invaded. The term includes felonies and misdemeanors. Crime is also defined as an act committed or omitted in violation of a public law either forbidding or commanding it.
CRIMINAL CHARGE
A charge, strictly speaking, exists only when a formal written complaint has been made and a prosecution initiated against the accused. In the eye of the law, a person is charged with crime only when he is called upon in a legal proceeding to answer to such a charge.
CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY
A combination of two or more persons attempting to accomplish, by some concerted action, some criminal or unlawful purpose, or to accomplish some purpose not in itself criminal, by criminal or unlawful means.
CRIMINAL INFORMATION
A formal declaration of the charge or offense against a person, made by the prosecuting or district attorney, and filed in the court in which the person is to be tried.
CRIMINAL INTENT
That evil state of a person's mind, accompanying an unlawful act, in the absence of which no crime is committed. In some crimes, the law requires specific intent such as in some statutes making it a felony to file a proof of loss with the intent to defraud an insurance company. In other crimes, the intent may be general as long as the act is willful and intentional, such as the willful and malicious act of setting fire to a railroad bridge. In certain crimes, the intent may be implied from the obvious wilfulness of the act in which case malice may be inferred. It is important for the investigator to distinguish clearly between intent and motive. Motive is the reason, real or fancied, that a person had for committing an act. Intent, express or implied, is required under the law. Proof of mo-tive is not a requirement under the law.
CRIMINAL OFFENSE
As used in statutes permitting the introduction of evidence of commission of a criminal offense to affect the credibility of a witness, the term is generally held to include both felonies and misdemeanors, but not to include violation of a municipal ordinance.
CRIMINAL PROCEEDING
The prosecution of a person charged with a criminal offense. The subsequent contemplation of the conviction and the punishment for the offense of the person so prosecuted. A proceeding against a juvenile offender is generally not a criminal proceeding.
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION
A prosecution in a court of justice, in the name of the sovereignty of the jurisdiction involved, against one or more individuals accused of a crime. Although instituted by an individual, a criminal prosecution is not in any sense an action between the person instituting it and the prisoner.
CRIMINAL STATUTE
A statute which describes an act or the omission of an act as a criminal offense. A statute authorizing punishment for contempt is a criminal statute. Statutes in this category may be either felonies or misdemeanors.
CURRENT, ELECTRIC
Electrical current is of two kinds; direct (DC) and alternating (AC). Direct current is a continuous flow in the same direction, as in batteries; alternating current creates a flow which is periodically re-versed and creates a system of waves. The number of cycles is the number of waves per second. As a rule, alternating current circuits are in single or three phases. Single phase is carried by a two wire circuit although a third or neutral wire is often used which does not alter the principle. In a three
phase, three wire, balanced (delta) circuit, the current flow in each conductor leads or lags the current in the other two conductors and the algebraic sum of the three is zero. Any of the two wires of a three phase circuit is much greater than that required to operate it once it is in motion or at nor¬mal speed. The common voltages are 120/208 and 277/480. (REF: National Electrical Codes) The flow of electric current creates magnetic force and a change in magnetic field surrounding a system of wires. This produces an electric voltage which, in turn, creates current flow. These facts are the basis of the generator and the electric motor. Voltage is produced in the windings of the motors and generators. In a motor, voltage created by the rotor is known as back electromotive force. To some extent this re¬stricts the flow of current through the motor. The current required to start a motor is much greater than that required to operate it once it is in motion or at normal speed.
CURTAIN BOARDS
A non-combustible barrier suspended to bank heat along a ceiling in order to enhance the effectiveness of a sprinkler or extinguishing system.
CRYOGENICS
This is the science of dealing with the behavior of materials at temperatures close to absolute zero. It is utilized in the handling of gases such as argon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen, for purposes of liquidification, transport, and storage.
(REF:NFPA Cryogenic Properties of Gases)
