Basics
This is the term for a grouping of blood stains that forms a pattern at a crime scene.
What is blood spatter?
This property causes blood to stick together and maintain a round shape when falling.
What is cohesion?
This is the term for a blood drop that indicates it fell straight down.
What is a circular drop?
This point is determined by tracing the long axis of bloodstains back to a point of intersection.
What is the point of convergence?
To determine the point of origin, analysts use this to calculate the angle of impact.
What is trigonometry?
This can be used to evaluate the credibility of statements provided by a witness, suspect, or victim.
What is bloodstain pattern analysis?
This shape occurs when blood falls at a 90-degree impact angle.
What is a circular shape?
This type of blood drop occurs when blood strikes an object at an angle less than 90 degrees.
What is a tear-drop or eliptical shape?
This technique uses trigonometry to determine the approximate point of origin of a blood spatter.
What is measuring the length and width of blood drops?
The sharp end of a tear-drop blood stain points in this direction.
What is the direction of travel?
This type of analysis helps determine the direction blood traveled, the angle of impact, and even the manner of death.
What is bloodstain pattern analysis?
Blood falling from a height or at a high velocity can cause this to form around the main droplet.
What are satellite droplets?
These smaller droplets that break off a blood drop help to indicate the direction of spatter.
What are secondary droplets?
These types of measurements are only safely performed by analysts who are trained in the technique.
What is point of origin?
This technique helps scientists determine the approximate location of the blood source using 2D and 3D analysis.
What is the analysis of the point of origin?
Dr. Victor Balthazard first researched and analyzed spatter patterns in this year.
What is 1939?
This type of surface causes blood to form spikes or extensions around the edges of drops.
What is a rough surface?
When there are multiple blood spatters, scientists use this technique to find the location of the blood source.
What is drawing lines of convergence?
A string placed over blood drops along the axes of stains can help visualize this point of three dimensions.
What is the point of origin?
This property of blood allows it to resist flattening out when it falls on a flat surface.
What is surface tension?