Questions and Answers
What is lividity and what two things can it tell a forensic investigator about the death?
Lividity is the pooling of blood in the body. It tells investigators if the body was moved and how long the person has been dead.
When does lividity first begin and when is it fixed?
It begins two hours after death and it's fixed after eight hours.
What is livor mortis?
The color the body changes to when lividity sets in.
What is rigor mortis?
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Describe three things that affect rigor mortis and why.
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Explain the difference between cause of death and mechanism of death. Give two examples.
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What are the four manners of death?
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What is death?
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What is proximate cause of death?
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What is algor mortis and at what rate does it occur?
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What is autolysis?
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What is decomposition?
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What can stomach contents tell you about the time of death?
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What is entomology?
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Why are insects attracted to a decomposing body and which insects arrive first?
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What are the stages of insect development?
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What is larvae?
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What are instars?
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What are pupae?
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Study Notes
Lividity and Livor Mortis
- Lividity refers to blood pooling in the body and indicates if the body was moved and the time since death.
- Lividity begins two hours post-mortem and becomes fixed after eight hours.
- Livor mortis describes the color change of the body due to lividity.
Rigor Mortis
- Rigor mortis is the stiffening of skeletal muscles after death.
- Influencing factors for rigor mortis:
- Body weight: Higher fat content slows down rigor mortis.
- Sun exposure: Direct sunlight accelerates rigor mortis.
- Clothing: Presence of clothing speeds up rigor mortis.
Cause and Mechanism of Death
- Cause of death is the immediate reason for death; mechanism of death is the specific physiological failure leading to death.
- Examples:
- Shooting (cause) leads to blood loss (mechanism).
- Heart attack (cause) results in cessation of heartbeat (mechanism).
Manner of Death
- Four manners of death:
- Natural: Resulting from bodily function failure.
- Accidental: Unclear if the death was intentional or not.
- Suicidal: Intentional self-killing.
- Homicidal: Intentional killing of another person.
Definitions of Death
- Death is defined as the cessation or end of life.
- Proximate cause of death refers to the underlying cause.
Post-Mortem Changes
- Algor mortis describes the cooling of the body at a rate of approximately 0.78°C per hour.
- Autolysis involves spontaneous cellular breakdown due to self-digestion.
- Decomposition is the rotting and breakdown process following death.
Forensic Entomology
- Stomach contents can indicate the recency of death.
- Entomology is the study of insects in legal contexts, with blowflies being the first attracted to decomposing matter.
Insect Development Stages
- Stages of insect development include:
- Egg
- Larva (three instar stages)
- Pre-pupa
- Pupae (development into adult form)
- Larvae refer to the immature form of an insect, which undergoes metamorphosis.
Instars and Pupae
- Instars are the three larval stages of development preceding adulthood.
- Pupae are the encased stage where larvae transform into adult insects.
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Description
This quiz covers key concepts related to lividity and its implications for forensic investigators. It includes important definitions and timelines associated with livor mortis. Test your knowledge on how lividity can provide insights into post-mortem changes.