Principles of Forensic Science Exam Bank
Course
Introduction
Principles of Forensic Science introduces students to the fundamental concepts, methodologies, and applications of forensic science in the context of criminal investigations. The course explores the scientific principles underlying the collection, preservation, and analysis of physical evidence, including fingerprints, biological samples, trace materials, and digital evidence. Students learn about the roles of forensic scientists, the legal framework surrounding forensic evidence, and the ethical considerations involved in the field. Emphasis is placed on the interdisciplinary nature of forensic science, incorporating elements of biology, chemistry, physics, and law to provide a comprehensive understanding of how science aids the justice system.
Recommended Textbook
Forensic Science An Introduction 2nd Edition by Saferstein Richard
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction
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Sample Questions
Q1) Who is known as the "father of forensic toxicology"?
A) Vidocq
B) Lattes
C) Locard
D) Osborn
E) Orfilia
Answer: E
Q2) The case of Coppolino v. State highlights issues dealing with:
A) the admissibility of the polygraph.
B) search and seizure.
C) the evidential value of confessions.
D) warrantees searches.
E) the acceptability of new scientific tests.
Answer: E
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Page 3
Chapter 2: Securing and Searching the Crime Scene
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Sample Questions
Q1) The rate of cooling of a dead body can be influenced by all BUT the:
A) exposure to direct sunlight.
B) weather conditions.
C) location.
D) size of body.
E) gender of victim.
Answer: E
Q2) Insect evidence should be collected:
A) at the scene by a forensic entomologist or trained investigator.
B) upon the finding of the decedent by the first responding officer.
C) only from the body.
D) at the crime laboratory by forensic analysts.
E) during the autopsy by the medical examiner.
Answer: A
Q3) As the post mortem interval increases, the concentration of potassium in the vitreous humor of the eye:
A) remains the same.
B) decreases.
C) increases.
Answer: C
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Chapter 3: Recording the Crime Scene
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Sample Questions
Q1) List and describe three categories of physical evidence that are commonly found at crime scenes.
Answer: 1. Biological evidence: This category includes any physical material that originated from a living organism, such as blood, saliva, hair, skin cells, and bodily fluids. Biological evidence is commonly found at crime scenes and can be crucial in identifying suspects through DNA analysis.
2. Trace evidence: This category includes small, often microscopic, pieces of physical material that can be transferred between people or objects during a crime. Examples of trace evidence include fibers, glass fragments, paint chips, and gunshot residue. These types of evidence can provide important clues about the events that took place at a crime scene.
3. Impressions and tool marks: This category includes evidence left behind by objects or tools used during a crime. This can include shoeprints, tire tracks, fingerprints, and tool marks left on surfaces such as doors or windows. Impressions and tool marks can be used to link a suspect to a crime scene or to identify the tools or objects used during the commission of a crime.
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Collection of Crime-Scene Evidence
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Sample Questions
Q1) A piece of glass is immersed in a liquid. It proceeds to float on the liquid's surface. This shows that the density of the glass is ___________ the density of the liquid. A) not comparable B) equal to C) less than D) more than E) none of the above
Q2) The density of liquids is ________ the density of gases. A) the same as B) greater than C) less than
Q3) The weight 264.45 grams can be correctly expressed as: A) 26.445 centigrams. B) .26445 kilograms. C) 26,445 decigrams. D) all of the above E) none of the above
Q4) Describe the proper collection of glass evidence.
Q5) Explain the difference between elements and compounds. Cite one example of each.
6
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Chapter 5: Physical Evidence
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is NOT a part of a simple spectrophotometer?
A) column
B) radiation source
C) sample cell
D) CCD camera
E) monochrometer
Q2) Which substance is NOT normally used as a diluent of heroin?
A) procaine
B) mannitol
C) quinine
D) glucose
E) starch
Q3) Describe the process that a laboratory uses to perform a routine drug identification analysis.
Q4) Cocaine is a(n):
A) depressant.
B) stimulant.
C) hallucinogen.
D) hypnotic.
E) opiate.
Page 7
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Chapter 6: Death Investigation
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Sample Questions
Q1) Briefly describe how a toxicologist finds a drug in human tissue or organs.
Q2) Briefly describe the case of Schmerber v. California and the implied consent laws.
Q3) A substance with a pH of 8 is likely to be:
A) acidic.
B) water.
C) neutral.
D) corrosive.
E) basic.
Q4) For the purpose of extracting the drug out of body tissues, an amphetamine is classified as an:
A) Acid drug
B) Neutral drug
C) Basic drug
D) All of the above
E) None of the above
Q5) List and describe the most commonly employed field sobriety tests.
Q6) Explain how alcohol is released by the lungs.
Q7) Explain how alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, transported through the body and eliminated.
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Chapter 7: Crime-Scene Reconstruction
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the design of a polarizing microscope, the polarizer is placed between the:
A) sample stage and the analyzer.
B) analyzer and the eyepiece.
C) light source and the sample stage.
D) specimen and the sample stage.
E) specimen and the analyzer.
Q2) Field of View
Q3) Magnification
Q4) Components of a compound microscope include all of the following except:
A) expander
B) illuminator
C) coarse adjustment
D) condenser
E) stage
Q5) The size of the specimen area in view is known as the: A) objective
B) depth of field
C) stage size
D) field of view
E) none of the above
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Chapter 8: Fingerprints
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Sample Questions
Q1) ___________ transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues and carry carbon dioxide back to the lungs.
A) lymphocytes
B) sickle cells
C) white blood cells
D) alveoli
E) red blood cells
Q2) If blood is found to have both A and B antigens it is typed as:
A) O
B) Rh positive
C) A
D) B
E) AB
Q3) List and describe the presumptive tests used to determine if a stain is blood.
Q4) A gene pair made up of two similar alleles-for example, AA and BB-is said to be:
A) homozygous.
B) complementary.
C) monoclonal.
D) polyclonal.
E) heterozygous.
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Firearms, Toolmarks, and Other Impressions
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Sample Questions
Q1) Restriction enzymes:
A) reduce the time required for PCR.
B) limit the amount of protein produced in a cell.
C) cut DNA at specific sites.
D) reduce the DNA replication rate.
E) inhibit DNA replication.
Q2) A typical STR DNA type emanating from a single individual shows a ___________ band pattern.
A) zero
B) three
C) one
D) two
E) none of the above
Q3) As currently performed, DNA-profiling technology CANNOT provide information helpful in:
A) deciding immigration cases based on family relationships.
B) matching a suspect to biological evidence found at a crime scene.
C) ruling out a suspect.
D) settling matters of questioned paternity/maternity.
E) determining whether an individual carries a genetic defect.
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Chapter 10: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
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Sample Questions
Q1) At the crime scene, the string method is used to find the ___________ of an impact spatter pattern.
A) area of origin
B) void pattern
C) drying time
D) velocity classification
E) area of convergence
Q2) How can an investigator determine the area of convergence and an area of impact for a given blood pattern?
Q3) A blood droplet deposited at an angle of impact of about 90º (directly vertical to the surface) will:
A) always be 3 cm in diameter.
B) be approximately circular in shape.
C) show acute elongation.
D) feature a tail showing the directionality.
E) be elliptical in shape.
Q4) List and briefly describe the information that can be gained from bloodstain pattern analysis.
Q5) Describe the methods used to document bloodstain evidence at a crime scene.
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Chapter 11: Drugs
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain the difference between natural and manufactured fibers.
Q2) A fiber whose microscopic appearance includes being ribbon-like in shape (flat) with twists at irregular intervals is:
A) silk.
B) linen.
C) polyester.
D) kapok.
E) cotton.
Q3) The stages of hair growth include all of the following except:
A) catagenic.
B) telogenic.
C) analgesic.
D) anagenic .
E) all above are stages of hair growth
Q4) Which feature of hair is MOST important in making a species identification?
A) scale pattern
B) follicle shape
C) bulb size
D) color
E) shaft length
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Chapter 12: Forensic Toxicology
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Sample Questions
Q1) An element is selective in the frequency of light it will absorb. This selectivity is due to its:
A) electron energy levels.
B) atomic mass.
C) atomic number.
D) number of neutrons.
E) proton cloud.
Q2) Which coating provides resistance to corrosion?
A)electrocoat primer
B)primer surface
C)basecoat
D)clearcoat
Q3) Which would be LEAST useful in identifying a mineral crystal?
A) size
B) refractive index
C) geometric shape
D) location of origin
E) color
Q4) Explain the difference between continuous and line emission spectra.
Q5) Describe the proper collection and preservation techniques for soil evidence.
Page 14
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Chapter 13: Trace Evidence I: Hairs and Fibers
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Sample Questions
Q1) When investigators search a fire scene, the first focus must be on:
A) finding the origin of the fire.
B) taking photographs and making sketches.
C) looking for signs of breaking and entering.
D) interviewing eyewitnesses.
E) all of the above
Q2) What is the major advantage of using the vapor concentration technique with gas chromatography?
A) only non-volatile residues will be detected
B) long analysis time allows for full separation of components
C) high sensitivity for detecting volatile residues
D) ability to determine relative concentration of solid residues
E) low resolution of peaks associated with volatile residues
Q3) The minimum temperature at which a fuel will spontaneously ignite is called:
A) a dangerous place to store flammable liquids.
B) the flash point.
C) the heat of combustion.
D) the boiling point.
E) the ignition temperature.
Q4) List the conditions that are necessary to initiate and sustain combustion.
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Chapter 14: Trace Evidence Ii: Paint, Glass, and Soil
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Sample Questions
Q1) Most explosives can be recovered from debris for future study by being rinsed with:
A) motor oil.
B) toluene.
C) kerosene.
D) acetone.
E) water.
Q2) The chemical ingredients of black powder are commonly:
A) potassium nitrate, charcoal, sulfur.
B) aluminum, potassium, nitrate, nitrocellulose.
C) sulfur, carbon, nitrogen.
D) carbon, nitrocellulose, potassium chlorate.
E) none of the above
Q3) ___________ explosives detonate almost instantaneously to produce a smashing or shattering effect.
A) low explosives
B) dentoating explosives
C) instantaneous explosives
D) high explosives
E) corrosive explosives
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Page 16
Chapter 15: Biological Stain Analysis: DNA
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following types of fingerprints are more likely to be found impressed in soft wax?
A) Visible
B) Latent
C) Hidden
D) Plastic
E) None of the above
Q2) Fingerprints are formed:
A) during fetal development.
B) by the time a child is two years old.
C) at birth.
D) during first six months after birth.
E) at conception.
Q3) Which person listed below attempted to destroy his fingerprints with corrosive acid?
A) John Dillinger
B) Carlo Gambino
C) William West
D) James Gotti
E) Jimmy Hoffa
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Page 17
Chapter 16: Forensic Aspects of Fire and Explosion Investigation
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Sample Questions
Q1) In atomic absorption chromatography, the amount of light absorbed is ________ to the concentration of the element in the test sample.
A) is not related
B) indirectly related
C) directly related
Q2) When a gun is recovered from an underwater location, it should be:
A) taken to a certified gunsmith for restoration before testing can begin.
B) placed in an air-tight plastic bag.
C) cleaned and dried.
D) transported to the crime lab in a container with enough of the same water necessary to keep it submerged.
E) submitted to crime lab in a paper bag.
Q3) Distinctive markings of shells and cartridges can be made by the:
A) firing pin.
B) extractor and ejector mechanism.
C) magazine.
D) breech lock.
E) all of the above
Q4) Explain the concept of the NIBIN database.
18
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Chapter 17: Document Examination
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Sample Questions
Q1) The writing characteristics of a person may be altered by whether:
A) a significant amount of time has passed between writing of exemplar and the questioned document.
B) the posture or stance of the author varies between writings.
C) pencil, ballpoint or fountain pen is used.
D) paper is ruled or unruled.
E) all of the above
Q2) Defects that are reproduced by a photocopier onto a copied document may originate from defects in all of the following photocopier parts except:
A) feed tray
B) mechanical portions
C) glass plate
D) inner cover
E) none of the above
Q3) What are the common individual characteristics that are associated with handwriting?
Q4) List and describe some of the techniques that document examiners use to uncover alterations, erasures, obliterations, and variations in pen inks.
Q5) What is a questioned document?
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Chapter 18: Computer Forensics
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following actions taken at the crime scene involving a computer are incorrect?
A) upon arrival, sketching the overall layout as well as photographing it
B) photographing any running monitors
C) placing corresponding labels on cords from peripheral devices and the port to which each cord was connected
D) removing the plug from the back of the computer, not from the wall
E) none of the above
Q2) One gigabyte can be expressed as:
A) 1,000 kilobytes (KB).
B) 1,000 bytes.
C) 1,000 megabytes (MB).
D) 8,000 bits.
E) 80,000 kilobytes (KB).
Q3) List and describe the hardware and the software components of a computer.
Q4) Describe how e-mails, chat and IM's can be traced and recovered by a computer forensics expert.
Q5) What is the difference between and location of visible and latent data?
Q6) Describe the proper procedure for preserving computer evidence at a crime scene.
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Q7) Describe the difference between read-only memory and random-access memory.