What phenomenon does thermal inertia relate to?

Thermal inertia refers to the property of a material that describes its response to changes in temperature. Specifically, it is a measure of how quickly a material can rise in temperature when exposed to heat. This concept is crucial in understanding how materials behave in fire scenarios, as it affects both the initial and sustained reactions of materials when subjected to fire conditions.

When thermal inertia is high, a material will take longer to heat up, due to its ability to absorb and store heat, which directly relates to the rate of temperature rise. Conversely, materials with low thermal inertia heat up quickly and can reach higher temperatures more rapidly.

This phenomenon plays a significant role in fire investigations, as it helps determine how different materials will respond to heat exposure and influence the spread of fire, making option B the most relevant and accurate in this context.