Forensics 4th 9 Weeks Exam
If we remember seeing something happen, we can trust that it happened just as we think it did (T/F)
False
In court, a lawyer must be able to fit the tool into the tool marks to convince a jury that they are consistent (T/F)
False
Insect evidence is always collected or photographed (T/F)
False
Insect evidence is the most accurate method to estimate a postmortem interval if the victim has been dead less than 24 hours (T/F)
False
Most investigators are highly trained to deal with insect evidence (T/F)
False
Pry-bar and crowbar marks cannot be distinguished from each other because they produce the same tool marks (T/F)
False
The number of bones in the body increases from the time of birth to adulthood (T/F)
False
There is little forensic value in examining cut marks in wood because all cut wood looks similar (T/F)
False
When forensic investigators identify a tool that is consistent with tool marks, they know that the owner of the tool was at the crime scene (T/F)
False
Eggs usually hatch after 12 hours (T/F)
False (24 hours)
Wheelbase is the diameter of the smallest circle that can be driven by a vehicle or, put another way, the minimal space required for a car to make a 360 degree turn (T/F)
False; Turning Diameter
Once skin slippage begins, it is impossible to obtain fingerprints (T/F)
False; can obtain fingerprints by putting the fingerprints on a gloved finger
Mitochondrial DNA analysis of skeletal remains can be used to establish individual identity (T/F)
False; class evidence
As a screwdriver slides against a doorjamb, the softer material leaves an abrasion on the other surface (T/F)
False; harder material
Plastic Prints can be lifted with electrostatic techniques (T/F)
False; latent
Adipocere is a waxy material formed from the breakdown of fat during decomposition under very dry conditions (T/F)
False; moist conditions
The Innocence Project is an organization that seeks to get convicted killers out of prison (T/F)
False; persons not killers
When processing a crime scene for impression evidence, measuring the impression is the first step you should take (T/F)
False; photograph
Latent impressions are indentations in snow, mud, and soil (T/F)
False; plastic
Usually, children will lose body heat more slowly than adults (T/F)
False; quicker
Turning Diameter is distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel (T/F)
False; wheel base
What case was Forensic Botany used first?
Richard "Bruno" Hauptmann was convicted of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's son -1st time time forensic botany evidence was accepted as legal evidence during a trial
What should botanical evidence be labeled with?
Shape, Description, Color, & Height
___________ is collected at a crime scene and studied both microscopically and macroscopically
Soil evidence
Adult flies are attracted to dead bodies because of the odors (T/F)
True
An autopsy is performed after an unexplained death to help explain the cause and manner of death (T/F)
True
Blowflies arrive within minutes of death (T/F)
True
Bones that break when someone is still alive tend to break unevenly, whereas bones broken long after death show clean breaks (T/F)
True
Cadaver dogs find bodies due to the odor of gases emitted during decomposition under anaerobic conditions (T/F)
True
Chips and dents on a hammerhead can produce unique tool marks (T/F)
True
Cloudiness of the eyes occurs usually after 2 hours if the eyelids are open (T/F)
True
Forensic investigators use databases of tool marks to determine the type of tool used in a crime (T/F)
True
From tire marks left on pavement, it is possible to estimate the speed a vehicle was traveling at the time it began braking (T/F)
True
High moisture levels in soil stimulate the formation of adipocere (T/F)
True
Insect evidence can link a suspect to a crime (T/F)
True
It is possible to cast an impression in the snow if you use a casting material that does not generate heat (T/F)
True
Pollen is a reproductive structure containing male gametes that is produced by seed plants. Spores are reproductive cells produced by algae, fungi, and non-seed plants such as ferns and mosses (T/F)
True
Soils are mixtures of materials formed from weather rocks, water, air, and decomposing organisms (T/F)
True
The word "forensic" refers to the application of scientific knowledge to legal questions (T/F)
True
Tool marks are considered to be a form of circumstantial evidence (T/F)
True
Tool-mark casts from a variety of materials, including silicone-based materials, may be used to compare a specific tool with the crime-scene tool mark (T/F)
True
Track Width is the measurement from the center of the thread of a tire to the center of the thread of the opposite tire (T/F)
True
Wasps arrive after the blowflies because they feed on blowfly larvae and eggs (T/F)
True
When collecting soil samples from a crime scene, everything must be photographed, documented, and sketched (T/F)
True
When estimating a postmortem interval, it's important to factor into the interval the fact that flies and beetles don't lay eggs at night (T/F)
True
Wind pollinated plants are often dominant in the pollen profile of a crime scene (T/F)
True
X-ray diffraction of soil is used to determine its mineral and chemical compound (T/F)
True
A person who was running away from someone before he or she died will go into rigor mortis sooner than a person who was sitting quietly (T/F)
True; rigor mortis produces lactic acid
___________ is the method of determining the mineral composition of the soil
X-ray diffraction
What is a New Grave?
a mound of soil and an absence of vegetation
Which can issue death certificates but cannot perform autopsies? a) Coroner b) Pathologist c) Medical examiner d) Both the coroner and the pathologist
a) Coroner
Which is the correct sequence of developmental stages for blowflies? a) Egg, larva, pupa, adult b) Egg, second instar, third instar, pupa, adult c) Egg, pupa, maggot, adult d) First instar, second instar, third instar, pupa, adult
a) Egg, larva, pupa, adult
What did the Casey Anthony defense plea was the reason for the flies? a) Garbage in the car b) The car was left next to a dumpster c) The child had not taken a bath in a few days d) There were rats in the trunk
a) Garbage in the car
Which of the following represents an undisturbed soil profile, started at the surface? a) Humus, topsoil, sand and silt, subsoil, broken rock, solid rock b) Topsoil, humus, subsoil, sand and silt, broken rock, solid rock c) Topsoil, subsoil, humus, sand and silt, solid rock, broken rock d) None of the above
a) Humus, topsoil, sand and silt, subsoil, broken rock, solid rock
At the crime scene you find a footprint in the mud. What do you apply to the footprint first? a) Thin layer of hairspray b) Thin layer of snow print wax c) Paris plaster d) None of these
a) Thin layer of hairspray
About how far outside the perimeter of the crime scene should soil be collected? a) 5-10 ft b) 10-15 ft c) 15-20 ft d) 20-25 ft
d) 20-25 ft
How is forensic entomology used to solve crimes? a) It determines if the body was moved b) Helps reveal the location of the body c) Links a suspect to the scene from bites or insect evidence d) All of the above
d) All of the above
The nature of the impression determines _____________. a) How the vehicle was driven b) Tire condition c) Level of inflation d) All of the above
d) All of the above
Which one of these affects what happens to a buried decomposing body? a) Burial depth b) Rock content c) Water content d) All of the above
d) All of the above
What are assemblages?
group of plant species in an area dominated by one species that share the same habitat requirements
__________ is the top layer of the earth's crust that most plants grow
humus/top-soil
Options: algor mortis, livor mortis, & rigor mortis Dealing with death color, as a result of decomposed blood cells and blood vessels: ____________________
livor mortis
Options: algor mortis, livor mortis, & rigor mortis Dealing with lividity and dual lividity: ____________________
livor mortis
What should evidence be placed in?
paper bindle -temporarily can be stores using plant press
________ soil is soil that contains more than 20% decaying material
petty
How are pollinated plants useful to the CSI?
provide more specific information about location
Options: algor mortis, livor mortis, & rigor mortis Dealing with temporary death stiffness: ____________________
rigor mortis
Options: algor mortis, livor mortis, & rigor mortis The level of physical activity before death influences this: ____________________
rigor mortis
What are habitat samples?
samples of different types of plants collected from an areas assemblage
What are the 2 types of pollination?
selfpollination & crosspollination
What is an Old Grave?
the actual site sinks into and fills the grave as the ground settles
What is Forensics Botany?
the application of plant science to Crime Scene Analysis for use in legal cases (circumstantial evidence)
What determines the size of an annual ring?
the size of each annual ring is affected by local environmental conditions
Sand is formed by the action of wind and water on rocks this is known as __________
weathering
What are the annual rings in a tree made from?
xylem cells
What should CSI photographer take pictures of?
-Dominant plants -Depressed grasses indicating possible entrances or exits -Broken branches or disturbed plants -Plants that seem unusual for the area -Plants in unusual locations relative to the body, vehicle, or object
What are spores?
-asexual reproductive structures -smaller than a grain of pollen -produced in large amounts
___________ is an area cleared of plant growth due to a recent burial or decomposition
Cadaver decomposition island
A well-trained forensic entomologist can always determine PMI using insect evidence only (T/F)
False
Because bones can heal, a bone fracture is no longer evident after 10 years (T/F)
False
Body heat loss speeds up after 12 hours following death (T/F)
False
Good observation skills come naturally to investigators; they do not need to be trained (T/F)
False
If the soil evidence on a suspect is consistent with soil evidence at a crime scene, this always provides sufficient evidence for conviction (T/F)
False
___________ and their measurements help to identify the type of tire and the possible make and model of car. a) Tire treads patterns b) Inflation c) Tire condition d) Tire marks
a) Tire treads patterns
Patent prints are ____________ and ____________. a) Visible and transferred b) Visible and left in soft materials c) Invisible and transferred d) Invisible and left in soft materials
a) Visible and transferred
A forensic scientist is called to a court of law to provide a) facts b) opinion c) judgement d) reflection
a) facts
Options: algor mortis, livor mortis, & rigor mortis Dealing with the cooling of the body following death: ____________________
algor mortis
Options: algor mortis, livor mortis, & rigor mortis If a body is submerged it affects this: ____________________
algor mortis
What do seed plants include?
angiosperms & gymnosperms
What kind of plants produce pollen?
angiosperms & gymnosperms
How many samples should be collected from the scene for evidence?
at least 10 different types of plants from the areas assemblage, called a habitat sample, should be collected
Based off of the "Rule of Thumb" PMI estimate, if a body is found warm and stiff, the person has been dead for: a) Less than 3 hours b) 3-8 hours c) 8-36 hours d) More than 36 hours
b) 3-8 hours
At least how many tablespoons of material should be collected from several different locations of a crime scene? a) 2 b) 4 c) 17 d) 874,149
b) 4
Which of the following is true? a) Ribs are the indentations found in a tire b) A vehicle's direction of travel can be detected by careful observation of disturbed vegetation and splash patterns cast off from the vehicle c) Since tires have the same pattern over the entire tire, it's only necessary to ink half of the tire when getting its ink impression d) Wheelbase can be measured from a single line
b) A vehicle's direction of travel can be detected by careful observation of disturbed vegetation and splash patterns cast off from the vehicle
Which ethnic background tends to have a round nasal cavity, rectangular eye orbits, and some degree of prognathism (extension of the maxilla beyond the face) a) European b) African c) Asian d) None of the above
b) African
Marbling occurs as a result of: a) Fats being broken down by bacteria b) Chemical reactions of sulfur and hemoglobin c) Lactic acid formation as a result of reduced oxygen levels in the blood d) Muscles contracting after death
b) Chemical reactions of sulfur and hemoglobin
What is the first step of documenting and collecting insect evidence? a) Take current body temperature b) Observe the body c) Place adults in a killing jar d) Collect insects in the immediately vicinity of the corpse
b) Observe the body
What is not a way dental impressions can be used in forensics? a) Dental records used to identify remains b) Pulling teeth for DNA c) Analyzing bite patterns on victims d) None of the above
b) Pulling teeth for DNA
What connects a muscle to a bone? a) Cartilage b) Tendon c) Growth plate d) Ligament
b) Tendon
How is Botany used in drowning cases?
by comparing the number and proportion of algae and diatoms in a drowned person's lungs and body tissues, it is possible, in some cases, to determine where he or she drowned
Which statement about the rate of decomposition is generally true? a) The body of an overweight person will decompose faster than the body of a person who was not overweight b) Decomposition will occur faster if the body is submerged in water than if it is on land c) A buried body decomposes more slowly than a body that is not buried d) Ambient temperature does not affect the rate of decomposition
c) A buried body decomposes more slowly than a body that is not buried
Which of the following locations is the most likely source of young sand with little quartz, that is dark in color, and that does not bubble when acid is added to it? a) Great salt lake in Utah b) A North American beach with pounding waves c) A volcanic island d) A beach near a coral reed
c) A volcanic island
What is the 2nd stage of decay? a) Dry decay b) Fresh c) Bloated d) Active Decay e) Decay
c) Bloated
Which of the following is the finest of all soil textures? a) Silt b) Loam c) Clay d) Sand
c) Clay
Which stage of blowfly metamorphosis is not real? a) Eggs b) Larva c) Cocoon d) Adult
c) Cocoon
What can multiple foot impressions not provide? a) Entrance and exit path b) Amount of people at time c) Height of victim d) Evidence of confrontation or disturbance at scene e) Evidence of anyone sustaining injuries
c) Height of victim
What is one reason why insect evidence at crime scenes is often not collected? a) Most insects are only active at night b) Insect evidence is only found during active decay c) Investigators are often not properly trained to find and collect insects d) Insects can't be found if the body is buried or covered
c) Investigators are often not properly trained to find and collect insects
These impressions are invisible to the unaided eye. a) Paper b) Patent c) Latent d) Plastic
c) Latent
Which of the following techniques would not help to make a latent print visible? a) Luminol b) Dusting c) PCR d) Electrostatic Lifting
c) PCR
Which is the most reliable bone to determine the sex of a skeleton? a) Femur b) Skull c) Pelvic bone d) Collarbone
c) Pelvic bone
Which of the following is the correct order for collecting shoe impression evidence? a) Photographing and documenting the impressions, casting plastic impressions, lifting latent impressions b) Casting plastic impressions, lifting latent impressions, photographing and documenting the impressions c) Photographing and documenting the impressions, lifting latent impressions, casting plastic impressions d) Lifting latent impressions, casting plastic impressions, photographing and documenting the impressions
c) Photographing and documenting the impressions, lifting latent impressions, casting plastic impressions
Which method of estimating postmortem interval is least reliable if a person has been dead less than 12 hours? a) Rigor mortis b) Livor mortis c) Potassium levels in the eye d) Algor mortis
c) Potassium levels in the eye
__________ may indicate the speed a car traveled when it left a road or directing fleeing from a crime scene and when the brakes were applied. a) Inflation b) Tire treads c) Tire marks d) Tire condition
c) Tire marks
The Innocence Project found that most faulty convictions were based on a) out-of-date investigating equipment b) poor DNA sampling c) inaccurate eyewitness accounts d) officers not thoroughly observing a crime scene
c) inaccurate eyewitness accounts
Based on the following characteristic of a set of skeletal remains, which estimate best represents the age of the deceased -Femur head fused to shaft -Clavicle and sternum closed -Lambdoidal suture closed -Coronal suture closed a) Btw ages of 30-40 b) Btw ages of 16-18 c) Btw ages of 10-24 d) At least 50 years old
d) At least 50 years old
The body of a person known to have eaten Mexican food at 12 noon was found dead at 11 p.m. During the autopsy, the medical examiner found no food in the stomach but did find evidence of Mexican food in the first half of the small intestine. Based on the postmortem interval estimate from the stomach contents only, which of the following times would be the best estimate of a postmortem interval? a) Between noon and 1 p.m. b) Between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. c) Between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. d) Between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.
d) Between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.
What signals blowflies that a body is decomposing? a) Putrescine b) Cadaverine c) Mortisine d) Both A and B
d) Both A and B
Which is true regarding spiracle slits of a blowfly larva? a) They are found only on the first instar b) They are useful in estimating the age of a blowfly larva c) They are used for release of undigested food d) Both A and B
d) Both A and B
What information can be learned from skid-mark analysis of an accident? a) Manufacturer of the car b) Direction of travel c) When brakes were applied d) Both b and c are correct
d) Both b and c are correct
A forensic anthropologist noted that a set of skeletal remains exhibited the following traits: wide subpubic angle, a sacrum curved outward, no visible growth plates, and porous bones. Which description is consistent with these characteristics a) Female under 30 with arthritis b) Male over 50 with scoliosis c) Female under 20 with Asian ancestry d) Female over 30 with osteoporosis
d) Female over 30 with osteoporosis
Which represents the normal sequence for decomposition? a) Fresh, active decay, dry decay, bloated, advanced decay b) Bloated, advanced decay, active decay, dry decay, fresh c) Fresh, dry decay, bloated, active decay, advanced decay d) Fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay, dry decay
d) Fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay, dry decay
When estimating a postmortem interval, where is evidence NOT compiled from? a) The body b) The environment c) The person's social contacts d) None of the responses
d) None of the responses
The amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium in the soil influences _____________ a) Consistency of the soil b) Color of the soil c) Moisture of the soil d) Plant Growth e) All of the above
d) Plant Growth
Which descriptions below would most likely indicate the presence o a recent gravesite? a) Soil level raised, increased plant life b) Soil level lowered, increased plant life c) Soil level lowered, no plant life on surface d) Soil level raised, no plant life on surface
d) Soil level raised, no plant life on surface
