Soil Examination Forensic Science

If the soil evidence on a suspect is consistent with soil evidence at a crime scene, this always provides sufficient evidence for conviction.

• True

• False

Soils are mixtures of materials formed from weathered rocks, water, air, and decomposing organisms.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What are the 3 main types of soil textures? Mark all that apply.

• Sand

• Silt

• Clay

• Mud

• Peat

Which of the following is the finest of all soil textures?

• Clay

• Sand

• Silt

• Loam

Which descriptions below would most likely indicate the presence of a recent gravesite?

• soil level raised, increased plant life

• soil level lowered, increased plant life

• soil level lowered, no plant life on surface

• soil level raised, no plant life on surface

Sand, silt, or clay that is deposited by wind or water is called ___.

• humus

• sediment

• loam

• soil profile

______ sand is made of the remains of marine organisms, such as microorganisms, shells, and coral.

• continental

• volcanic

• skeletal

• precipitate

Soil properties such as rock content, soil texture, oxygen levels, ________ and ______ will have an affect on the buried decomposing body.

• burial depth and water content

• color and soil pH

• soil color and texture

• carbon dioxide level and soil texture

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

X-ray diffraction of soil is used to determine its mineral and chemical compostion

• True

• False

Which of the following represents an undisturbed soil profile, starting at the surface?

• humus, topsoil, sand and silt, subsoil, broken rock, solid rock

• topsoil, humus, subsoil, sand and silt, broken rock, solid rock

• topsoil, subsoil, humus, sand and silt, solid rock, broken rock

• None of the other answer choices are correct