Forensic Science Unit 4 Flashcards

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1
Q

Death

A

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

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2
Q

Natural Death

A

Interruption of natural body functions resulting from age or disease

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3
Q

Homocide

A

Death of one person caused by another

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4
Q

Ways a person can die

A

-Natural
-Accidental
-Homicidal
-Suicidal

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5
Q

Cause of Death

A

The reason for death

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6
Q

Example of a cause of death

A

Heart attack, disease, physical injury

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7
Q

Mechanism of death

A

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

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8
Q

Example of a mechanism of death

A

Blood loss

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9
Q

Proximate cause of death

A

Underlying cause of death (radiation exposure)

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10
Q

Livor Mortis

A

-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
-

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11
Q

Lividity

A

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

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12
Q

What influences rate of lividity

A

Temperature

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13
Q

Dual Lividity

A

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

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14
Q

Rigor Mortis

A

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

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15
Q

When is the body in its most rigid stage?

A

After 12 hours

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16
Q

What happens after 12 hours of rigor mortis?

A

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

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17
Q

How does body weight and temperature affect rigor?

A

It can cause it to last for up to 48 hours

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17
Q

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

A

-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

17
Q

Where is a corpse temperature taken?

A

The liver

18
Q

What happens to eyes after death

A

The liquefy and rot but first turn cloudy

18
Q

Algor Mortis

A

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

19
Q

Where is food depending on time of death?

A

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

20
Q

Livor Mortis Color

A

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

21
Q

Stages of Decay

A
  1. Fresh/ Initial
  2. Bloating/Putrefaction
  3. Active Decay
  4. Advanced Decay
  5. Dry Decay
22
Q

Fresh/Initial Decay

A

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

23
Q

Bloating/Putrefactions

A

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

24
Q

Active Decay

A

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

25
Q

Advanced Decay

A

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

26
Q

Dry Decay

A

Hair is consumed by moths and mites
Bones are left

27
Q

What species of fly arrives at a body first?

A

Blowflies

28
Q

What kind of gas attracts insects to a body?

A
29
Q

When will insects lay their eggs

A

after 24 hours

30
Q

Houseflies

A

Smaller than blow flies
Indicate abuse
Feeds on urine and feces

31
Q

Flesh Flies

A

Medium sized
Black and gray stripe
Doesn’t lay eggs

32
Q

Coffin flies

A

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

33
Q

What are the most common and numerous insects found

A

Beetles

34
Q

Factors that affect devlopment

A
  • Ambient environmental factors
    – Clothing, temperature, time of day
    – Exposure to environment
    – Exposure to toxins, chemicals, drugs
35
Q

Parts of a fly

A

Head
Abdomine
Thorax

36
Q

Insect succession

A

insects visit a body in a fairly predictable pattern,

37
Q

Reason someone dies

A

cause of death

38
Q

Specific change in body that brought along death

A

Mechanism

39
Q

How much warmer are maggot clumps

A

5-20 degrees

40
Q

Temperature for blowfly development

A

20-50 degrees C

41
Q

Accidental Death

A

Death that no one caused so choking would be an example