Physical Evidence Quiz

Forensic Science

• Edmond Locard first recognized the value of trace forensic evidence in 1910.

Locard's Exchange Principle

• When two items come into contact, there is an exchange of material between them.

Paint Analysis

• An example of a 'class' characteristic in paint analysis is the color of the paint.

Glass Evidence

• Three characteristics of glass that could be used to match glass from a crime scene to a suspect are: refractive index, dispersion, and density.

Ballistics

• GSR stands for Gunshot Residue.
• Rifling in ballistics refers to the spiral grooves cut into the barrel of a gun, which impart a unique pattern to a bullet as it exits the barrel.
• IBIS stands for Integrated Ballistic Identification System.

Biometric Identification

• AFIS stands for Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

Forensic Analysis

• Fracture lines are lines that appear on a material, such as glass or plastic, when it breaks or fractures.

Entomology

• Insects such as blowflies and flesh flies are helpful in a murder investigation, as they can be used to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI).

DNA Analysis

• Tissues that might be used for DNA testing include blood, saliva, and skin cells.
• CODIS stands for Combined DNA Index System.
• For DNA testing, hair must have the root or skin tissue attached.

Skeletal Remains

• Four things that can be determined from skeletal remains are: age, sex, ancestry, and stature.

Body Fluids

• Two types of clues that investigators could get from body fluid samples are: DNA evidence and drug or toxin analysis.