Death & Decomposition
This term refers to the cooling of a corpse's body temperature until it matches the surrounding room or ambient temperature
Algor Mortis
This branch of forensic science specializes in identifying and analyzing human skeletal remains to help solve crimes.
Forensic Anthropology
f you need to establish a long-term historical timeline of a victim's drug or toxin exposure, which part of the body is best to sample?
hair
What type of evidentiary classification does glass fall under? (Testimonial, Class, or Individual?)
class evidence
Fire requires three core components to ignite and survive (often called the fire triangle). What are they?
Heat, oxygen, and fuel
This specific process happens to a body in a moist environment when its body fat converts into a white, waxy soap substance
Adipocere formation
If a forensic anthropologist needs to calculate the approximate height of a victim, name two long bones they could measure
Femur, Radius, or Tibia.
Which specific body fluid is preferred by toxicologists to find the most accurate, precise concentration of active toxins and their metabolites?
blood
When a glass pane is struck by a projectile, what are the names of the two distinct types of fractures that form?
Concentric and radial fractures
What is the absolute minimum percentage of oxygen required in the air to sustain a fire?
16%
When evaluating time of death using internal body temperature, list two of the major environmental or physical factors an investigator must consider that will affect the rate of cooling.
Clothing, body fat, or surrounding climate
How many bones are found in a standard adult human body?
Why are poisons and toxins often so incredibly difficult to find in a corpse during an autopsy?
They are metabolized quickly by the body into simpler compounds.
An investigator looks at a bullet hole in a glass frame. The hole on the side facing the room is larger than the hole on the side facing the wall. What direction did the bullet travel?
It traveled from behind the wall, out through the picture frame, and into the room (bullet entry holes are smaller than exit holes)
If arson investigators find an inverted "V" char pattern on a wall, what does this tell them about the fire's behavior?
It indicates that the fire burned fast.
What specific chemical builds up inside the vitreous humor of the eyes after death, causing them to look cloudy?
Potassium
If a skeleton's cranial sutures are completely fused/closed, what does this tell you about the approximate age of the victim if they are male vs. female?
The victim was a male over 35 or a female over 50.
By definition, what do depressants do?
slow down central nervous system
Why do law enforcement officers utilize hollow point bullets instead of full metal jacket bullets?
Hollow points expand on impact, ensuring they do not pass entirely through a suspect and accidentally injure bystanders.
What is the forensic term for a char pattern left behind because an unburned object blocked the smoke and heat from hitting a wall?
A heat shadow
Describe the distinct environmental difference that leads to mummification versus the environment that leads to adipocere formation.
Mummification requires a hot/cold and dry environment, while adipocere requires a moist environment
how can you idenfity a female vs male pelvis?
Male pelvis is more narrow compared to the wider, circular female Pelvis
Who is historically recognized as the individual who first established the study of poisons?
Mathieu Orfila
How you determine bullet sequence in glass?
Radial fractures from the later bullet stop abruptly when they hit the pre-existing radial fractures the first bullet.
A criminal uses a slim jim tool to slide down a car window and pop a lock, leaving scrape lines on the glass. What specific type of tool mark is this considered?
an abrasion