Firearms, Bloodstains, and Footwear Evidence Review

Flashcards based on key concepts from the lecture on firearms, blood, and footwear evidence.

What is ballistics?

-The branch of physics that deals with the flight of projectiles

-The science of the passage of the projectile through the barrel of the gun, in flight and at the instant of the impact

What are class characteristics in firearms?

Make of the firearm, caliber, rifling pattern, breech marks, firing pin impressions, extractor marks, ejector marks.

What defines a revolver?

A handgun that holds cartridges in a revolving cylinder.

What is the purpose of a shotgun's wad?

To separate the contents of a shotshell and hold projectiles.

What are the components of a cartridge?

Case, primer, powder, and projectile.

What is serology in forensic science?

The scientific study of blood serum, usually used for diagnosing antibodies.

What does 'stippling' refer to in gunshot wounds?

Deposition of powder fragments into the skin due to a close-range gunshot wound.

What are the main blood types discovered by Dr. Karl Landsteiner?

Type A, Type B, Type AB, and Type O.

What is the significance of bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA)?

Helps reconstruct events by analyzing the size, shape, and distribution of bloodstains.

What are the three categories of footwear evidence?

Visible, plastic, and latent.

How should footwear impressions be documented?

Through photography, sketching, and casting.

What is the difference between class and individual characteristics in footwear evidence?

Class characteristics are unchangeable features like brand and size; individual characteristics are changeable aspects like cuts or scratches.

What are the four conclusions for firearm identification?

Identification, elimination, inconclusive, not suitable for examination.

What is the function of a primer in a cartridge?

To ignite the powder charge inside the cartridge case.