1.2 Flashcards
Morgue
A place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy.
Autopsy
A postmortem evaluation to determine cause of death.
Cause of Death
The specific injury, trauma, or disease that directly caused the victim’s death.
Mechanism of Death
What happens physiologically (inside the body) to result in death.
Manner of Death
The circumstances that result in death, which are designated as natural or unnatural.
Systems
A group of organs in a body that work together to perform a specific function.
Physiological time of death
A group of organs in a body that work together to perform a specific function.
Estimated time of death
The time the medical examiner estimates that the death occurred.
Legal time of death
The time of death recorded on the death certificate; based on when the body was found or physically pronounced dead.
Algor mortis
the change in body temperature after death
Livor Mortis
pooling of the body following death that causes a purplish red discoloration of the skin; also referred to as lividity
Rigor mortis
the stiffening of joints and muscles after death
Toxins
A naturally-occurring poison produced by living organisms such as bacteria, fungi, plants, insects, and algae.
Toxicants
Manufactured and extracted chemicals such as pesticides, cleaning agents, industrial emissions or by-products, mining by-products, etc. that are in our environment and produce adverse biological effects of any nature.
Chemical reactions
A process where atoms and/or molecules are rearranged to transform matter.
Chemical digestion
is your body’s use of acids and enzymes to break down foods into smaller molecules.
Physical digestion
Physical digestion is the mechanical act of breaking down food into smaller parts, like when you chew.
Metabolism
The chemical reaction processes of breaking down molecules for energy and of using simple building blocks to build up more complex molecules needed for growth and repair.
Forensic chemistry
A field of chemistry that tests non-biological samples, such as powders, pills, and other substances, to identify or quantify them.
Histology
The study of the microscopic anatomy of tissues. Also known as microanatomy.
Nervous system
The nervous system contains the brain, brain stem, spinal cord, and nerves. The nervous system is responsible for receiving, interpreting, and reacting to signals from inside and outside the body
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
A medical imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to take pictures of the soft tissues of the body.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A brain dysfunction caused by an outside force to the head.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
A progressive degeneration, and/or death, of nerve cells caused by repeated head injuries, such as repeated concussions.
Genome
A complete set of the genes in one organism.
Cardiovascular system
The transport system of the body responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients to the body and carrying away carbon dioxide and other wastes; composed of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.
Atria
An upper chamber of the heart where blood enters. The heart has two atria: the left atrium connects to the lungs and the right atrium connects to the veins.
Ventricles
An upper chamber of the heart where blood enters. The heart has two atria: the left atrium connects to the lungs and the right atrium connects to the veins.
Valves
A body structure that temporarily closes a passage or orifice, or permits movement of fluid in only one direction.
Superior Vena Cava
The second largest vein in the human body. The superior vena cava returns blood to the right atrium of the heart from the upper half of the body.
Inferior Vena Cava
The largest vein in the human body, the inferior vena cava returns blood to the right atrium of the heart from body parts below the diaphragm.
Aorta
The largest artery in the body, the aorta carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body.
Apex
The bottom of the heart where it comes to a point.
Arteries
A type of vessel that carries blood from the heart through the body; part of the circulatory system.
Veins
A vessel that returns blood—typically deoxygenated—to the heart.
Pulmonary Circulation
Part of the circulatory system in which deoxygenated blood moves from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs (through arteries) to become oxygenated and then returns to the left side of the heart (through veins).
Systematic Circulation
The series of vessels that bring oxygenated blood from the heart to tissues and return deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart.
