Forensics-Chapter 8: Blood and Blood splatter

agglutination

clumping of cells caused by an antigen—antibody response

angle of impact

angle at which blood strikes a target surface relative to the horizontal plane of the target surface

antibodies

proteins secreted by white blood cells that attach to specific antigens

antigen

substance that provokes an immune response in the body

antigen–antibody response

reaction in which antibodies attach to specific antigens; causes agglutination in cross blood-type transfusions

area of convergence

two-dimensional view of the intersection of lines formed by drawing a line through the main axis of at least two drops of blood that indicates the general area of the source of the blood spatter

area of origin

the location of a blood source viewed in three dimensions as determined by projecting angles of impact of individual bloodstains

cast-off pattern

blood projected onto a surface as a result of being flung from an object in motion

passive drop

blood drop created solely as a result of gravity

satellite

smaller droplets of blood projected from larger drops of blood upon impact with a surface

spine

elongated blood streaks radiating away from the center of a bloodstain

swipe

blood pattern resulting from a lateral transfer from a moving source onto another surface

wipe

smeared blood pattern created when an object moves through blood that is not completely dried