SWGSTAIN Terminology

Question 1

Define Accompanying Drop

Answer 1

A small blood drop produced as a by-product of drop formation.

Question 2

Define Altered Stain

Answer 2

A bloodstain with characteristics that indicate a physical change has occurred.

Question 3

Define Angle of Impact

Answer 3

The acute angle (alpha), relative to the plane of a target, at which a blood drop strikes the target.

Question 4

Define Area of Convergence

Answer 4

The area containing the intersections generated by lines drawn through the long axes of individual stains that indicates in two dimensions the location of the blood source.

Question 5

Define Area of Origin

Answer 5

The three-dimensional location from which spatter originated.

Question 6

Define Backspatter Pattern

Answer 6

A bloodstain pattern resulting from blood drops that traveled in the opposite direction of the external force applied; associated with an entrance wound created by a projectile.

Question 7

Define Blood Clot

Answer 7

A gelatinous mass formed by a complex mechanism involving red blood cells, fibrinogen, platelets, and other clotting factors.

Question 8

Define Bloodstain

Answer 8

A deposit of blood on a surface.

Question 9

Define Bloodstain Pattern

Answer 9

A grouping or distribution of bloodstains that indicates through regular or repetitive form, order, or arrangement the manner in which the pattern was deposited.

Question 10

Define Bubble Ring

Answer 10

An outline within a bloodstain resulting from air in the blood.

Question 11

Define Cast-off Pattern

Answer 11

A bloodstain pattern resulting from blood drops released from an object due to its motion.

Question 12

Define Cessation Cast-off Pattern

Answer 12

A bloodstain pattern resulting from blood drops released from an object due to its rapid deceleration.

Question 13

Define Directionality

Answer 13

The characteristic of a bloodstain that indicates the direction blood was moving at the time of deposition.

Question 14

Define Directional Angle

Answer 14

The angle (gamma) between the long axis of a spatter stain target. and a defined reference line on the target.

Question 15

Define Drip Pattern

Answer 15

A bloodstain pattern resulting from a liquid that dripped into another liquid, at least one of which was blood.

Question 16

Define Drip Stain

Answer 16

A bloodstain resulting from a falling drop that formed due to gravity.

Question 17

Define Drip Trail

Answer 17

A bloodstain pattern resulting from the movement of a source of drip stains between two points.

Question 18

Define Edge Characteristic

Answer 18

A physical feature of the periphery of a bloodstain.

Question 19

Define Expiration Pattern

Answer 19

A bloodstain pattern resulting from blood forced by airflow out of the nose, mouth, or a wound.

Question 20

Define Flow Pattern

Answer 20

A bloodstain pattern resulting from the movement of a volume of blood on a surface due to gravity or movement of the target.

Question 21

Define Forward Spatter Pattern

Answer 21

A bloodstain pattern resulting from blood drops that traveled in the same direction as the impact force.

Question 22

Define Impact Pattern

Answer 22

A bloodstain pattern resulting from an object striking liquid blood.

Question 23

Define Insect Stain

Answer 23

A bloodstain resulting from insect activity.

Question 24

Define Mist Pattern

Answer 24

A bloodstain pattern resulting from blood reduced to a spray of micro-drops as a result of the force applied.

Question 25

Define Parent Stain

Answer 25

A bloodstain from which a satellite stain originated.

Question 26

Define Perimeter Stain

Answer 26

An altered stain that consists of the peripheral characteristics of the original stain.

Question 27

Define Pool

Answer 27

A bloodstain resulting from an accumulation of liquid blood on a surface.

Question 28

Define Projected Pattern

Answer 28

A bloodstain pattern resulting from the ejection of a volume of blood under pressure.

Question 29

Define Satellite Stain

Answer 29

A smaller bloodstain that originated during the formation of the parent stain as a result of blood impacting a surface.

Question 30

Define Saturation Stain

Answer 30

A bloodstain resulting from the accumulation of liquid blood in an absorbent material.

Question 31

Define Serum Stain

Answer 31

The stain resulting from the liquid portion of blood (serum) that separates during coagulation.

Question 32

Define Spatter Stain

Answer 32

A bloodstain resulting from a blood drop dispersed through the air due to an external force applied to a source of liquid blood.

Question 33

Define Splash Pattern

Answer 33

A bloodstain pattern resulting from a volume of liquid blood that falls or spills onto a surface.

Question 34

Define Swipe Pattern

Answer 34

A bloodstain pattern resulting from the transfer of blood from a blood-bearing surface onto another surface, with characteristics that indicate relative motion between the two surfaces.

Question 35

Define Target

Answer 35

A surface onto which blood has been deposited.

Question 36

Define Transfer Stain

Answer 36

A bloodstain resulting from contact between a blood-bearing surface and another surface.

Question 37

Define Void

Answer 37

An absence of blood in an otherwise continuous bloodstain or bloodstain pattern.

Question 38

Define Wipe Pattern

Answer 38

An altered bloodstain pattern resulting from an object moving through a preexisting wet bloodstain.