Forensic Science Revision Questions

Identify the three main areas of forensic science and briefly describe what each one investigates.

• Forensic biology, forensic chemistry, and forensic toxicology; they investigate biological evidence, chemical substances, and toxins respectively.

• Forensic astronomy, forensic linguistics, and forensic botany; they investigate stars, languages, and plants respectively.

• Forensic geology, forensic meteorology, and forensic zoology; they investigate rocks, weather, and animals respectively.

• Forensic mathematics, forensic economics, and forensic architecture; they investigate numbers, finances, and buildings respectively.

The branch of forensics responsible for analysing explosives or bomb fragments is:

• Forensic Ballistics

• Forensic Chemistry

• Forensic Toxicology

• Forensic Odontology

Impression evidence refers to objects or materials that have retained the characteristics of other objects through direct contact. Which of the following are examples of impression evidence?

• Shoeprints, tire treads, and tool marks

• Fingerprints, DNA, and bloodstains

• Fibers, hair, and pollen

• Paint chips, glass fragments, and soil

Hair samples can be useful to forensic investigators because:

• they can provide DNA evidence linking a suspect to a crime scene.

• they always reveal the exact age of a person.

• they can determine the exact time a crime occurred.

• they can identify the brand of shampoo used.

AB blood type is a particularly strong piece of evidence because:

• it is the rarest blood type and can only come from parents with specific genotypes.

• it is the most common blood type and found in most populations.

• it can be produced by any combination of parental blood types.

• it does not provide any information about parental genotypes.

Two types of insects that can help determine time of death in a murder investigation are:

• Blowflies and beetles

• Butterflies and bees

• Ants and termites

• Grasshoppers and crickets

Two features of fingerprints that make them useful in solving crimes are:

• They are unique to each individual and do not change over time.

• They are the same for everyone and fade with age.

• They can be easily altered and are identical in twins.

• They are only visible under ultraviolet light and change with temperature.

Physical evidence refers to any material object that can be used to prove a fact in a case, while biological evidence comes from a living source. Which of the following is an example of physical evidence and biological evidence?

• A fingerprint is physical evidence, and blood is biological evidence.

• Blood is physical evidence, and a shoe is biological evidence.

• A hair strand is physical evidence, and a bullet is biological evidence.

• A footprint is biological evidence, and saliva is physical evidence.

Investigators should take which steps to avoid contaminating evidence at a crime scene?

• Wear gloves and use proper tools when handling evidence.

• Eat and drink at the crime scene.

• Allow unauthorized personnel to enter the scene.

• Move evidence without documenting it.

It is important for forensic scientists to document evidence carefully because:

• it ensures the integrity and admissibility of evidence in court.

• it allows evidence to be discarded after analysis.

• it makes the investigation process longer and more complicated.

• it prevents the need for further investigation.