Good Chemistry
The way to calculate the rate of a reaction.
What is change in concentration / change in time?
The process of stiffening muscles post-mortem, derived from the Latin "Stiffness of Death"
What is Rigor Mortis?
One of three biological sources for DNA-- also the subject of "hematology".
What is Blood?
The study of bites, teeth, and dental records.
Evidence used to determine the general class of an individual, but not their exact identity-- often blood and hair.
What is Class Evidence?
The second-largest constituent of any given red blood cell, making up 1/3 of it's volume.
What is hemoglobin?
The 3-letter-named phosphates, that lead to the various stages of mortis, post-mortem.
What is ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)?
A type of trace evidence often transferred to other sources; also capable of being used for DNA analysis.
What is hair?
The study of chemical effects on the body-- primarily used within forensics to determine the presence of toxins and drugs.
What is Toxicology?
A legal document that allows for appeals to a higher court when dissatisfied with the ruling of a lower court; often used in cases with significant value to precedents and constitutional procedure.
What is a writ of certiorari?
Reagent used to detect the presence of iron in blood, creating a blue glow.
What is Luminol?
The first stage of body decay post-mortem, often characterized by bloating, discoloration, skin-slip, blisters, and the loss of hair and nails.
What is Putrefication?
The list of all people who came into possession of a piece of evidence.
What is Chain of Custody?
The study of how projectiles move through the air; including flight paths, impact effects, and design.
What is Ballistics?
The opposite to civil law's "Preponderance of Evidence"-- the highest burden of proof with evidence so strong, there is no reasonable doubt of a defendant's innocence.
What is "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"?
The carcinogen most commonly used as an embalming agent. The urea-based resin of this chemical is also found within the textile industry, as well as plywood and carpeting.
What is formaldehyde?
One of the gases that causes swelling of the post-mortem body due to bacteria-- also found under the seafloor, and within our atmosphere.
What is Methane?
Prints on surfaces, formed by natural oils and sweat in the body, invisible to the naked eye.
What are Latent Prints?
The study of human remains, using archaeological techniques to analysis skeletal remains in criminal cases.
What is Forensic Anthropology?
Latin for "things done afterward"-- punishing crimes retroactively, even if the criminal conduct was technically legal when committed.
What is Ex Post Facto?
Method used to analyze ink and dye by extracting certain soluable components.
What is Chromatography?
The primary nutrient found in determining time of death, when using the method of vitreous fluid concentrations.
What is Potassium?
The chemical used to develop fingerprints on a surface; converting amines into purple derivatives.
What is Ninhydrin?
The study and retrieval of digital sources of evidence-- ranging from phone records, SMS and E-Mail communications, volatile RAM, and deep-faked images.
What is Digital Forensics?
The legal term meaning "body of the crime"-- a principle asserting that there must be substantial, physical proof of a crime, before someone is convicted.
What is Corpus Delicti?