Forensic Exam Revision

What is forensic science

What is forensic science

The application of scientific methods and techniques to matters under investigation by a court of law.

What is a biologist

an expert in or student of the branch of science concerning living organisms.

What is a psychologist

A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behaviour.

What is an odontologist

a person who studies the structure and diseases of teeth

What is a forensic anthropologist

someone who specialises in analysing hard tissues such as bones. they gather information from the bones and their recovery context to determine who died, how they died, and how long ago they died.

How do forensic anthropologists determine the sex of skeletal remains

Sex can be determined by analyzing the skull (jaw/brow ridge) and the pelvis.

How do forensic anthropologists determine the age of skeletal remains

Age can be determined by analyzing the development of the teeth, cranial suture lines, the length of specific bones, such as the femur and the wear on joints.

What is an entomologist

a person who studies or is an expert in the branch of zoology concerned with insects.

What is a psychiatrist

a medical practitioner specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.

What is a botanist

an expert in or student of the scientific study of plants.

Explain the effect of an increase in height on the shape of a falling blood droplet

There will be a larger diameter of the parent drop. There will be more satellites and longer spines.

Explain the effect of speed on the shape of a falling blood droplet

Larger distance between the parent drops. Spines elongated in the direction of movement.

Explain the effect of angle on the shape of a falling blood droplet

The parent drop will be more of an oval rather than a circle, and the satellites and spines will radiate out from the top of the oval.

Describe the technique of revealing latent fingerprints using ninhydrin.

it is a spray which reacts with amino acids in the oil from fingers to produce a blue-purple stain pattern

Describe the technique of revealing latent fingerprints using carbon powder

it is applied by brushing it onto the surface and works by mechanically adhering to the oil and moisture components of the latent print.

Describe the technique of revealing latent fingerprints using cyanoacrylate

when heated, it releases into the air as a gas. This gas is attracted to the sweat and oils excreted from fingers and crystallizes to leave behind a white residue that reveals the fingerprint.

Describe the technique of revealing latent fingerprints using fluorescent powders

it is applied by brushing it onto the surface and when underneath an alternate light source, it will shine a different colour, revealing the fingerprint.

What are some factors that can affect determination of PMI

temperature, weather, moisture, clothing

What is an ion

An ion is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge.

Why do atoms form ions

To become stable and achieve a full outer shell of electrons.

What type of ions do metals form

metal atoms lose electrons forming positive ions (cations)

What type of ions do nonmetals form

non-metal atoms gain electrons forming negative ions (anions)

what are some indicators which can be used to determine whether a solution is an acid or a base

universal indicator, litmus paper, phenolphthalein

what does the atomic number mean

number of protons

what does the mass number mean

number of protons + neutrons

what do the groups on the periodic table mean

The number of electrons in the outer shell (valence)

what do the periods on the periodic table mean

The number of electron shells an atom has