Which term describes a chemical that initiates or promotes combustion in other materials?

• A. Explosive
• B. Compressed Gas
• C. Oxidizer
• D. Reactive

Answer: (C)

The main idea is understanding what fuels a fire. An oxidizer is a chemical that supplies or releases an oxidizing agent, usually oxygen, to promote or sustain combustion of other materials. It doesn’t have to be flammable itself; its role is to make it easier for a fuel to burn by accepting electrons or providing oxygen for the reaction. That’s why this term fits best—oxidizers directly enable the burning of other substances, which is the essence of “initiates or promotes combustion in other materials.”

Explosives involve rapid energy release and may include oxidizers, but they’re defined by that quick violent reaction rather than the basic role of promoting combustion in other materials. A compressed gas is simply a gas stored under pressure, not a combustion-promoting substance. Reactive is a broad label for substances that participate in reactions, but it doesn’t specify the combustion-promoting function.