Course Introduction
Forensic Science Practice Questions
Forensic Science is a multidisciplinary field that applies scientific principles and techniques to investigate crimes and analyze evidence within the legal system. This course explores the methods used in the collection, preservation, and examination of physical evidence such as fingerprints, DNA, trace materials, and bodily fluids. Students will learn about crime scene investigation, forensic pathology, toxicology, and the role of forensic experts in the courtroom. Through lab-based activities and case studies, participants will gain practical skills and a comprehensive understanding of how science aids in the pursuit of justice.
Recommended Textbook
Criminalistics An Introduction to Forensic Science 12th Edition by Richard Saferstein
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction
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Sample Questions
Q1) The concept of "general acceptance" of scientific evidence relates to the:
A) First Amendment.
B) Exclusionary rule.
C) Frye standard.
D) Miranda warnings.
Answer: C
Q2) The ________ unit performs DNA profiling of dried bloodstains and other body fluid.
Answer: Biology
Q3) The United States has no national system of forensic laboratories.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) Providing expert testimony is not one of the main functions of a forensic scientist.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q5) The forensic scientist should only be an advocate of ________.
Answer: Truth
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Chapter 2: The Crime Scene
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Sample Questions
Q1) The existence of emergency circumstances may justify a(n)________ search.
Answer: Warrantless
Q2) Which crime scene search pattern would absolutely require more than one investigator?
A) Spiral
B) Line
C) Grid
D) Zone
Answer: D
Q3) The line and spiral search pattern methods can be performed effectively by one person.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) Which of the following items is likely to contain DNA evidence?
A) A self-adhesive mailing stamp
B) A bed sheet
C) A blue rug fiber
D) A glass fragment
Answer: B
Page 4
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Chapter 3: Physical Evidence
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Sample Questions
Q1) If the laboratory can piece broken glass from a window or headlight together,then the evidence has ________ characteristics.
Answer: Individual
Q2) The first step in ________ is determining which properties from the suspect and the standard/reference specimen to compare.
Answer: Comparison
Q3) Juries often accord scientific evidence lesser weight than other evidence.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q4) The jury ultimately determines the significance of physical evidence in a trial.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q5) Most items of physical evidence retrieved at crime scenes can be linked definitively to a single person or object.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 4: Crime Scene Reconstruction: Blood Stain
Pattern Analysis
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Sample Questions
Q1) Rough surfaces usually result in stains with:
A) Forward spatter.
B) Back spatter.
C) Blow-back spatter.
D) Satellite spatter.
Q2) Expirated blood also may be lighter in color as a result of dilution by ________.
Q3) Often,reconstruction requires the involvement of a medical examiner and at least one ________.
Q4) An impact pattern consisting of large separate drops with diameters of 5 millimeters is:
A) Low-velocity spatter.
B) Medium-velocity spatter.
C) High-velocity spatter.
D) Both A and B
Q5) Setting up squares of known dimension over the entire pattern describes the: A) String method.
B) Stake method.
C) Grid method.
D) Perimeter ruler method.
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Chapter 5: Death Investigation
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Sample Questions
Q1) A body that displays a cherry-red discoloration might lead a pathologist to suspect poisoning by:
A) Cyanic acid.
B) Arsenic.
C) Pesticides.
D) Carbon monoxide.
Q2) Putrefaction and autolysis are two types of ________ processes.
A) Rigor mortis
B) Decomposition
C) Livor mortis
D) Algor mortis
Q3) What conclusions about the position of a victim and an attacker can be drawn from the presence of defensive wounds on the forearms and hands of the victim? How about defensive wounds on the legs and feet?
Q4) Which of the following techniques can be used to estimate the time of death?
A) Rigor mortis
B) Eye fluid potassium levels
C) Livor mortis
D) All of the above
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Chapter 6: Fingerprints
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Sample Questions
Q1) Digital imaging is a process through which a picture is converted into pixels.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which step of the ACE-V process requires the examiner to identify any distortions associated with the friction ridges?
A) Analysis
B) Comparison
C) Evaluation
D) Verification
Q3) Which of the following is NOT true about digital imaging?
A) Once the image is produced, it can be manipulated and enlarged.
B) It produces an image composed of pixels.
C) It is a process in which a picture is converted into a digital file.
D) It does not allow for the simultaneous comparison of two prints.
Q4) Which is NOT considered a porous surface?
A) Tile
B) Cloth
C) Paper
D) Cardboard
Q5) Name two main drawbacks to using AFIS.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Forensic Biometrics
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is one of the key advantages to EBGM?
A) A full facial image is required
B) Its extreme precision and accuracy
C) It works even with blurry or grainy images
D) Relatively inexpensive compared to other analyses
Q2) The first process that each biometric system must perform is known as the enrollment process.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The human iris will go physically ________ for the life of the user.
Q4) Like iris biometrics,facial recognition scans are intrusive and cannot gain data in a way that is comfortable and hygienic for its users.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Briefly explain how an iris biometric system works.
Q6) The combination of a mobile device and a fingerprint scanner has become a reality for law enforcement agencies.
A)True
B)False
Page 9
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Chapter 8: The Microscope
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Sample Questions
Q1) The stereoscopic microscope has a narrow field of view.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following statements is false?
A) If the polarizer and analyzer of a polarizing microscope are placed parallel to each other, no light will penetrate.
B) Light confined to a single plane of vibration is said to be polarized.
C) Many crystals are birefringent.
D) The lens nearest the specimen is called the objective lens.
Q3) The major advantages of the SEM image include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) High magnification.
B) High reproducibility.
C) High resolution.
D) Great depth of focus.
Q4) A comparison microscope designed to examine bullets and fibers is equipped with:
A) Vertical illumination.
B) Transmitted illumination.
C) Oblique illumination.
D) Both A and B.
Q5) ________ illumination is illumination of a specimen from above.
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Firearms, tool Marks, and Other Impressions
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Sample Questions
Q1) A weapon recovered from underwater should be transported to the laboratory in a receptacle containing enough of the same water in which it was found to keep it submerged.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Determine for each of the impressions listed below which characteristics are class characteristics and which are individualizing characteristics.
a.Screwdriver pry mark: 0.5 inch wide,filings of stainless steel imbedded in mark,rounded edges,center half-circle groove,3 wide striations near one edge,7 narrow striations near one edge
b.Two-dimensional footwear impression: Nike brand,11 inches long,wear pattern on back outside edge,4 inches wide at arch,gouge at back heel,"Nike Air" imprinted on arch
c.Recovered bullet: .22 caliber,deep striation in one land,left-handed twist,13 fine striations in one groove,5 grooves around periphery,79% lead composition
Q3) Discernible random nicks and breaks that the tool has acquired through wear and use typically impart ________ characteristics to tool marks.
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11
Chapter 10: Matter, light, and Glass Examination
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Sample Questions
Q1) One inch is equivalent to ________ centimeters.
Q2) Refractive index measures the speed of light in a vacuum to its speed in air.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The periodic table is a:
A) Forensic text table of contents.
B) Forensic newsletter issued periodically.
C) Special laboratory surface for multiphase experiments.
D) Chart listing all the known elements by name and symbol.
Q4) The smallest unit of a(n)________ is an atom.
Q5) The basic metric unit of volume is the ounce.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Describe the process of floatation and explain what it is used for.
Q7) If an object is immersed in a liquid of greater density,it will:
A) Be suspended in the liquid
B) Float
C) Sink
D) Be suspended for a known period of time before sinking
Q8) As the temperature of a liquid or gas increases,its density ________.
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Chapter 11: Hairs and Fibers
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Sample Questions
Q1) It is a virtual certainty that two fabrics share a common origin if their fibers:
A) Can be fitted together at their torn edges
B) Have the same striations
C) Have the same color
D) Appear identical in cross section
Q2) Which part of the hair shaft is most resistant to chemical decomposition?
A) Cortex
B) Medulla
C) Follicle
D) Cuticle
Q3) The layers of the hair shaft are the ________,the ________,and the ________.
A) Cuticle; root; medulla
B) Cortex; mitochondria; pigment
C) Pigment; cortex; pigment
D) Cuticle; cortex; medulla
Q4) Name the three phases of hair growth.A criminalist is more likely to collect DNA from hairs in which stage of growth?
Why?
Q5) A criminalist first compares the color and ________ of fiber evidence.
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Chapter 12: Drugs
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Sample Questions
Q1) The tranquilizers Valium and Librium are classified in which schedule of the Controlled Substances Act?
A) I
B) II
C) III
D) IV
Q2) The active ingredient in marijuana is ________.
Q3) Which of the following are considered to be "club drugs"?
A) Ketamine
B) MDMA
C) Rohypnol
D) All of the above
Q4) Marijuana is the most widely abused drug in the United States.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Briefly describe the basic chromatographic process.Be sure to explain how motion is important to the process.
Q6) Briefly describe the basic process of spectrophotometry.
Q7) Hairs shaped like "bear claws" on the upper side of a marijuana leaf are known as ________ hairs.
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Chapter 13: Forensic Toxicology
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Sample Questions
Q1) Field sobriety tests do NOT include:
A) Walk and turn.
B) Horizontal gaze nystagmus.
C) Performance of sit ups.
D) One leg stand.
Q2) In forensic toxicology,all positive drug findings must be confirmed by a specific chemical test.The confirmation test of choice is:
A) Ultraviolet spectrophotometry.
B) Gas chromatography.
C) Infrared spectrophotometry.
D) Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Q3) Which of the following,if blood is not available,can the medical examiner NOT use in order to determine the body's alcohol content to a reasonable degree of accuracy?
A) Urine
B) Cerebrospinal fluid
C) Vitreous humor
D) Brain tissue
Q4) What are alveoli and what role do they play in circulation?
Q5) A fuel cell detector converts alcohol in alveolar breath into ________ acid.
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Chapter 14: Metals, paint, and Soil
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Sample Questions
Q1) All atoms of an element have the same number of neutrons.
A)True
B)False
Q2) After the paint has been applied to a surface,the solvent evaporates.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Paint binders can be chemically analyzed using:
A) TLC.
B) IR spectrophotometry.
C) Pyrolysis GC.
D) Both B and C
Q4) The concentration of the absorbing element is directly proportional to the quantity of the light absorbed.
A)True
B)False
Q5) The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called the atomic mass number.
A)True
B)False
Q6) The three basic subatomic particles are the proton,electron,and ________.
Page 16
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Chapter 15: Forensic Serology
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Sample Questions
Q1) When an animal is injected with an antigen,the animal will respond by producing:
A) Polyclonal antibodies.
B) Monoclonal antibodies.
C) Agglutinates.
D) Both A and B
Q2) The victim of a homicide is wrapped in a blood-soaked sheet.Describe the proper steps to be taken in order to preserve the sheet for laboratory examination.List all necessary submissions that must be made for a thorough examination of blood evidence.
Q3) A stain can tentatively be identified as blood by:
A) The benzidine test.
B) The luminol test.
C) The phenolphthalein test.
D) All of the above
Q4) The standard test used to determine whether blood is of human or animal origin is the ________ test.
Q5) Gel diffusion takes advantage of the fact that antibodies and antigens move toward one another on a plate.
A)True
B)False
Page 17
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Chapter 16: DNA: the Indispensable Forensic Science Tool
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Sample Questions
Q1) Means to detect the amelogenin gene are included in commercial STR kits used in crime labs because the gene allows determination of:
A) Ethnicity.
B) Blood type.
C) Gender.
D) Eye color.
Q2) The building blocks of the DNA molecule are known as:
A) Amino acids.
B) Nucleotides.
C) Polysaccharides.
D) Hydrocarbons.
Q3) The evidence suggests which suspect raped the victim?
A) Suspect A
B) Suspect B
C) Suspect C
D) The evidence shows that none of these suspects is a match.
Q4) List four ways to minimize contamination of biological evidence.
Q5) Describe the process of DNA replication.What is the importance of DNA replication?
Q6) The ________ gene is often used to determine the sex of a DNA contributor.
18
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Chapter 17: Forensic Aspects of Fire and Explosion Investigation
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Q1) Warm air expands,which causes it to become ________ dense.
Q2) A large container of gasoline is recovered from the walk-in freezer at a restaurant owned by an arson suspect.The gasoline temperature is found to be -10 degrees Fahrenheit.The suspect claims this gasoline would be too cold to have been used as an accelerant in the arson.Describe the difference between flash point and ignition temperature and use this information to explain whether the suspect's claim is true or untrue.
Q3) Arson investigators must work quickly to collect evidence at a fire scene because:
A) Accelerant residues may quickly evaporate.
B) Safety requirements may require that cleanup and salvage operations begin quickly.
C) Accelerants in soil may rapidly degrade.
D) All of the above
Q4) The brand name of a gasoline sample cannot currently be determined by any technique.
A)True
B)False
Q5) In a(n)________ reaction,heat energy is liberated.
Page 19
Q6) ________ is the chemical breakdown of solid organic matter by heat.
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Chapter 18: Document Examination
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Sample Questions
Q1) The writing characteristics of a person may be altered by whether:
A) The paper is ruled or unruled.
B) Pencil, ballpoint, or fountain pen is used.
C) The posture or stance of the author varies between writings.
D) All of the above
Q2) The most common features associated with a paper examination are general appearance,color,weight,and watermarks.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Overwriting or crossing out writing is known as:
A) Erasure.
B) Alteration.
C) Obliteration.
D) Indentation.
Q4) Questioned documents include:
A) Contracts and passports.
B) Petitions and lottery tickets.
C) Letters and checks.
D) All of the above
Q5) ________ printers include thermal and dot-matrix printers.
Page 20
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Chapter 19: Computer Forensics
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Sample Questions
Q1) MMS,or Multimedia Message Service,is text messaging with attachments.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The ________ is a complex network of wires that carry data from one hardware device to another.
A) Motherboard
B) Central processing unit (CPU)
C) Hard disk drive
D) Operating system
Q3) Chat and instant messages typically are stored in ________.
Q4) Mobile devices are often shut off to avoid the loss of data.
A)True
B)False
Q5) The best way to handle a mobile device and preserve data is:
A) Turn the mobile device off.
B) Leave the mobile device on.
C) Leave the mobile device on, but place it in a Faraday shield.
D) None of the above
Q6) ________ space is empty space on a hard disk drive (HDD)created because of the way the HDD stores files.
Page 21
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Chapter 20: Mobile Device Forensics
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Sample Questions
Q1) Causal chains of evidence describe the events of a crime in terms of cause and effect.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Some tools,such as Cellebrite's UFED Touch,are quite clear about which devices support physical extraction.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Physical extraction is a snapshot of the file system showing what the file system wants you to see.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What does SIM stand for?
A) Subscriber Identity Module
B) Source Information Memory
C) Simple Identification Mount
D) Subscriber Identification Memory
Q5) If there is a GPS capability on a smartphone,how might the investigator use it in the investigation?
Q6) In many ways mobile device forensics is similar to ________ forensics.
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