American Chemical Society (ACS) Laboratory Safety Practice Test

The rating "6-A:80-B:C" indicates that the fire extinguisher is capable of combating larger fires compared to the "3-A:40-B:C" extinguisher. The numbers preceding the letters in the rating signify the extinguisher's effectiveness on different types of fires.

The "A" rating is indicative of the extinguisher's capability to handle ordinary combustibles such as wood and paper, with higher numbers reflecting a greater capacity to manage larger fires of that class. In this case, a rating of "6-A" denotes a greater effectiveness demonstrated in an ability to control larger fires compared to "3-A."

Similarly, the "B" rating pertains to flammable liquids; thus, "80-B" suggests that the extinguisher is effective against larger volumes of flammable liquids than the "40-B" rating of the other extinguisher.

While both extinguishers can handle Class C fires, which involve electrical equipment, the significant difference in the A and B ratings illustrates that the "6-A:80-B:C" extinguisher is designed to tackle larger and potentially more dangerous fire scenarios compared to its counterpart. This makes it suitable for more extensive commercial or laboratory environments where the risk of fire is