The Investigation Process Research Resource Site
A Pro Bono site with hundreds of resources for Investigation Investigators
Home Page Forums Site Guidance FAQs Old news Site inputs
Cover page   ABC - DEF - GHI - JKL - MNO - PQR - STU - VWXYZ
Go to Index Page

 - V -

VAPOUR PRESSURE means the pressure exerted by a liquid as determined by ASTM D 323, "Vapor Pressure of Petroleum Products (Reid Method)". (Ontario Fire Code 1996)

VENT (TO) Release enclosed smoke and heat from a structure by creating openings in it, as by hacking a hole in the roof, to allow for freer passage of air. [Fire Cause Determination, IFSTA 1986]

VERTICAL SERVICE SPACE means a shaft oriented essentially vertically that is provided in a building to facilitate the installation of building services including mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations and facilities such as elevators, refuse chutes and linen chutes. (Ontario Fire Code 1996)

VISCOSITY means the resistance that a liquid offers to flow. (Ontario Fire Code 1996)

  - W -
 

WEIGHT The force acting on an object due to gravitational field. [Friedman 1989]

WETTING AGENT A chemical that, when added to water, reduces its surface tension and improves its ability to penetrate crevices. [Friedman 1989]

WHMIS WHMIS is a national system to provide information on hazardous materials used in the workplace recognizing the interests of workers, employers, suppliers and regulators balancing the workers' right to know with industry's right to protect confidential business information. The objective of WHMIS is to ensure the protection of workers from the adverse effects of hazardous material through the provision of relevant information while minimizing the economic impact on industry and the disruption of trade. (Source: Termium 1994)  

WICK Suppose a high-flash-point bulk liquid has a wick projecting from it. The wick can be any nonmelting porous material that the liquid is capable of wetting. The wick can consist of a bit of cloth, paper, cardboard, etc., that is in contact with the pool of liquid. (A discarded cigarette might simultaneously serve as a wick and an ignition source.) The liquid is drawn up the wick by surface tension (capillarity), and the wick becomes covered with a thin film of the liquid. (For example, immerse one corner of a handkerchief in a glass of water and observe what happens.) If an ignition source is applied to the wick (such as a match to a candle wick), the thin film of liquid is heated rapidly to above its fire point and it ignites. As it burns, additional liquid is drawn up the wick and feeds the fire. Of course, such a fire is trivial in size. However, if this small fire is in contact with a large pool of high-flash-point liquid, its heat could eventually warm the liquid immediately adjacent to it so that the fire would spread from the wick to a portion of the liquid, and ultimately grow to a large fire. [Friedman 1989]  

WITNESS PLATE Something on which is implanted a partial or complete record of events to which it was exposed. (Benner 1997)

Top of page

 - XYZ -
ZEUGMA / two different words linked to a verb or an adjective which is strictly appropriate to only one of them.
*Nor Mars his sword, nor war's quick fire shall burn The living record of your memory. (A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with Examples, Ross Scaife)  
 
Cover page   ABC - DEF - GHI - JKL - MNO - PQR - STU - VWXYZ

Top of page