Which statement is true about Class 5 oxidizers?

Which statement is true about Class 5 oxidizers?

• A. They are always liquids
• B. They supply their own oxygen and may cause spontaneous combustion
• C. They never react with fuels
• D. They must be kept away from water

Answer: (B)

Class 5 oxidizers are materials that contain or release oxygen, which enables them to support and intensify combustion. Because they supply their own oxygen, they can cause fires to start more easily and even ignite fuels or organic matter that wouldn’t burn on their own, and some can heat up and ignite spontaneously when concentrated or contaminated. They are not limited to liquids; many oxidizers are solids, and some are liquids, so the statement that they are always liquids is incorrect. They also readily react with fuels, which is the fundamental hazard of oxidizers, so saying they never react with fuels is false. The suggestion that they must be kept away from water isn’t universally true for all Class 5 oxidizers, as handling and reactivity with water varies by substance, so it isn’t the defining characteristic.

Class 5 oxidizers are materials that contain or release oxygen, which enables them to support and intensify combustion. Because they supply their own oxygen, they can cause fires to start more easily and even ignite fuels or organic matter that wouldn’t burn on their own, and some can heat up and ignite spontaneously when concentrated or contaminated. They are not limited to liquids; many oxidizers are solids, and some are liquids, so the statement that they are always liquids is incorrect. They also readily react with fuels, which is the fundamental hazard of oxidizers, so saying they never react with fuels is false. The suggestion that they must be kept away from water isn’t universally true for all Class 5 oxidizers, as handling and reactivity with water varies by substance, so it isn’t the defining characteristic.