Forensic Science Unit 4

Question 1

Death

Answer 1

Cessation of death
(in 17th century) Anyone who has a faint heartbeat or in a coma

Question 2

Natural Death

Answer 2

Interruption of natural body functions resulting from age or disease

Question 3

Homocide

Answer 3

Death of one person caused by another

Question 4

Ways a person can die

Answer 4

-Natural
-Accidental
-Homicidal
-Suicidal

Question 5

Cause of Death

Answer 5

The reason for death

Question 6

Example of a cause of death

Answer 6

Heart attack, disease, physical injury

Question 7

Mechanism of death

Answer 7

The specific change in the state of the body that brought about death

Question 8

Example of a mechanism of death

Answer 8

Blood loss

Question 9

Proximate cause of death

Answer 9

Underlying cause of death (radiation exposure)

Question 10

Livor Mortis

Answer 10

-Lividity begins 2 hours after death
-Discoloration becomes permanent after 8 hours
- Between 2-8 hours if redden areas are pressed, color will disappear
- After 8 hours lividity is fixed and permanent
-

Question 11

Lividity

Answer 11

With decomposition, blood seeps down and settles in the lower parts of the body

Question 12

What influences rate of lividity

Answer 12

Temperature

Question 13

Dual Lividity

Answer 13

Lividity in two different areas which indicates that the body was moved

Question 14

Rigor Mortis

Answer 14

-Without oxygen in the blood, muscles stiffen
-Starts two hours after death
-Begins in head and gradually works down to legs

Question 15

When is the body in its most rigid stage?

Answer 15

After 12 hours

Question 16

What happens after 12 hours of rigor mortis?

Answer 16

-After 15 hours, muscle fibers dissolve and softening begins
-Stiffness disappears after 36 hours

Question 17

How does body weight and temperature affect rigor?

Answer 17

It can cause it to last for up to 48 hours

Question 17

What are the factors that affect rigor mortis?
(Faster as in decomposes faster or slower as in decomposes slower)

Answer 17

-Temperature (cooler is slow, warmer is fast)
-Weight of body heavier is fast lighter is slow
-Clothes is faster, none is slower
-Fever is faster
- Exercise right before death is faster
-Direct sun is faster

Question 17

Where is a corpse temperature taken?

Answer 17

The liver

Question 18

What happens to eyes after death

Answer 18

The liquefy and rot but first turn cloudy

Question 18

Algor Mortis

Answer 18

Time of death determined by temperature calculations which is relayed in a range of time

Question 19

Where is food depending on time of death?

Answer 19

0-2 hours food in stomach
4-6 food in small intestine
12+ waste in large intestine

Question 20

Livor Mortis Color

Answer 20

0-2 hours no color or change
2-8 hours lividity- blanches
8+ hours lividity is fixed and permanent

Question 21

Stages of Decay

Answer 21

1. Fresh/ Initial
2. Bloating/Putrefaction
3. Active Decay
4. Advanced Decay
5. Dry Decay

Question 22

Fresh/Initial Decay

Answer 22

Autoanalysis, body temp drops, insteacts lay eggs, bladder and bowels empty

Question 23

Bloating/Putrefactions

Answer 23

Cell autolysis begins Green and purplish staining occurs Skin takes on marbled appearance Face becomes distorted and blisters Bloating from C02

Question 24

Active Decay

Answer 24

Gas causes chest and abdominal cavities to burst and collapse Fluids leak from body openings Eyeballs liquify Skin comes off

Question 25

Advanced Decay

Answer 25

Cheesy smell from butyric acid Corpse dries out, adipocere is forming, maggots leave and beetles come

Question 26

Dry Decay

Answer 26

Hair is consumed by moths and mites Bones are left

Question 27

What species of fly arrives at a body first?

Answer 27

Blowflies

Question 28

What kind of gas attracts insects to a body?

Question 29

When will insects lay their eggs

Answer 29

after 24 hours

Question 30

Houseflies

Answer 30

Smaller than blow flies Indicate abuse Feeds on urine and feces

Question 31

Flesh Flies

Answer 31

Medium sized Black and gray stripe Doesn't lay eggs

Question 32

Coffin flies

Answer 32

Size of fruit flies may be only insect found if body is wrapped

Question 33

What are the most common and numerous insects found

Answer 33

Beetles

Question 34

Factors that affect devlopment

Answer 34

- Ambient environmental factors – Clothing, temperature, time of day – Exposure to environment – Exposure to toxins, chemicals, drugs

Question 35

Parts of a fly

Answer 35

Head Abdomine Thorax

Question 36

Insect succession

Answer 36

insects visit a body in a fairly predictable pattern,

Question 37

Reason someone dies

Answer 37

cause of death

Question 38

Specific change in body that brought along death

Answer 38

Mechanism

Question 39

How much warmer are maggot clumps

Answer 39

5-20 degrees

Question 40

Temperature for blowfly development

Answer 40

20-50 degrees C

Question 41

Accidental Death

Answer 41

Death that no one caused so choking would be an example