Soil Basics
Soil is made of minerals, organic matter, water, and this life form.
What are microorganisms?
Soil evidence is considered this type of evidence because it transfers between objects and locations.
What is trace evidence?
Scientists often start soil examination by observing its texture and color using this tool.
What is a microscope?
This property refers to the relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay.
What is soil texture?
Soil found on a suspect’s shoes can connect them to this location.
What is the crime scene?
This is the largest component of most soils and comes from weathered rock.
What are minerals?
This principle states that contact between two objects results in the exchange of materials.
What is Locard's Exchange Principle?
This test determines the acidity or alkalinity of soil.
What is a pH test?
The color of soil can be influenced by this metal commonly found in soil.
What is iron?
Soil evidence is often collected using this simple tool to avoid contamination.
What is a clean scoop or spatula?
The three main soil particle sizes used to classify soil.
What are sand, silt, and clay?
Soil can link a suspect to this if the soil composition matches.
What is a crime scene?
Investigators may heat soil samples to identify minerals using this method.
What is thermal analysis?
Dark soil usually indicates a high amount of this material.
What is organic matter?
Investigators store soil evidence in these containers to preserve it.
What are paper bags or containers?
This layer of soil contains the most organic material and plant life.
What is the topsoil (A horizon)?
Soil stuck to shoes, tires, or clothing can help investigators determine this.
What is where someone has been?
This type of microscope can analyze very small soil particles and minerals in detail.
What is an electron microscope?
Soil with a lot of clay tends to have this ability to hold water.
What is high water retention?
Soil comparison may include examining pollen, plant fragments, or this microscopic organism.
What are microorganisms?
Soil formed directly from the breakdown of rock through physical and chemical processes.
What is weathering?
Soil evidence is valuable because every location tends to have this unique property.
What is a unique composition?
Scientists compare soil samples from suspects and crime scenes to see if they share these measurable characteristics.
What are physical and chemical properties?
The arrangement of soil particles into clumps or aggregates is called this.
What is soil structure?
Soil evidence is especially powerful because it can link suspects, objects, and locations through this forensic idea.
What is transfer of trace evidence?