Final answer:
A fire separation is a physical barrier that contains fire and smoke within a specific area, while a firewall is a specific type of fire separation that can withstand fire for a certain period of time.
Step-by-step explanation:
A fire separation and a firewall are both used to prevent the spread of fire in a building, but they serve different purposes. A fire separation is a physical barrier, such as a wall or door, that divides different areas of a building to contain fire and smoke within a specific area.
On the other hand, a firewall is a specific type of fire separation that is designed to withstand fire for a certain period of time, usually at least one or two hours. It is typically constructed using fire-resistant materials and is often located between buildings or areas with different fire ratings.
For example, in a multi-story building, fire separations are used to separate different floors to prevent the spread of fire vertically, while firewalls are used to separate different buildings or sections of a building to prevent the spread of fire horizontally.