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117 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Actus Reus |
A guilty action |
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Facial Reconstruction |
Re-creation of the face of an individual from their skeletal remains |
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Forensic Odontology |
A branch of forensic science that deals with the handling, examination, and presentation of dental evidence in court |
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Mens Rea |
A guilty mind or intention |
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Reconstruction |
Establishing a sequence of events about the occurrences during and after a crime or other incident through the study, analysis and interpretation of evidence |
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Re-enactment |
The acting out of repetition of a past event or situation |
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Absorption spectroscopy |
Spectroscopic techniques that measures the absorption of radiation as a function of frequency or wavelength |
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Bulk composition |
What most of the object is made up of |
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Electromagnetic radiation |
A kind of radiation including visible light, radio waves, gamma rays, and x-rays, in which electric and magnetic fields vary simultaneously |
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Element |
A pure chemical substance consisting of a single type of atom distinguished by its atomic number |
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Emission Spectroscopy |
Spectroscopic techniques that measures the electromagnetic radiation emitted when electrons drop from a higher energy level to a lower energy level |
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Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy |
An analytical technique used for the elemental analysis or chemical characterization of a sample |
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Energy Level |
the energy of a quantum state of a system |
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Gamma Ray |
Electromagnetic radiation emitted from the nucleus of an atom by radioactive decay |
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Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) |
an analytical method used to determine the chemical elements comprising a material by bombarding it with neutrons to produce radioactive atoms whose emissions are indicative of the elements present |
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Parts per Billion |
1 in 1000 000 000 |
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Parts per Million |
1 in 100 0000 |
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Radioactive |
Spontaneous emission of radiation either directly from unstable atomic nuclei or as a consequence of a nuclear reaction |
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Relative abundance |
amount of an element present in a given environment in comparison to all other elements |
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Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) |
a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons |
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Trace Impurities |
what a very small portion of the object is made up of |
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Chromatography |
method of separating a mixture into its components |
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Compound |
a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements |
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Infrared (IR) Spectoscopy |
Analysis of infrared light interacting with a molecule |
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Mass Spectroscopy (MS) |
an instrumental method for identifying the chemical constituent of a substance by means of the separation of gaseous ions according to their differing mass and charge |
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Mobile Phase |
a fluid which carries a mixture through the stationary phase |
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Molecule |
two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds |
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Retention Factor (RF) |
a numerical method to describe the position of spots, i.e the distance travelled by the compound divided by the distance travelled by the solvent |
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Retention Time |
the time taken for a solute to travel through the column |
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Stationary Phase |
a layer fixed in place during the chromatography process and interacts with the analytes, e.g silica layer in thin layer chromatography (TLC) |
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Algor Mortis |
the cooling of the body after death |
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Circumstantial Evidence |
indirect evidence that tends to prove a fact by providing other events or circumstances which afford a basis for a reasonable inference of the occurrence of the fact at issue |
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Entomology |
the scientific study of insects |
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Fluorescence |
the emission of radiation especially of visible light, by a substance during exposure to external radiation such as light or x-rays |
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Livor Mortis |
settling of the blood in the lower portion of the body, causing a disscolouration of the skin |
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Mummification |
to make a dead body into a mummy by embalming and/or drying |
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Putrefaction |
the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter by bacteria and fungi that results in obnoxiously odorus products |
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Radioactive decay |
the spontaneous transformation of an unstable atomic nucleus into a lighter one, in which radiation is released |
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Rigor Mortis |
chemical changes in the muscles after death, causing the limbs of the corpse to become stiff |
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Antibodies |
Immunoglobins produced in response to an counteracting a specific antigen; recognises and binds to "alien" substances in blood |
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Antigens |
Proteins on the surface of red blood cells which induces an immune response; responsible for phenomenon of blood typing |
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Blood Spatter Analysis |
Use of blood distribution to determine how crime was committed |
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Blood Typing |
the process of identifying an individual's blood group by testing a sample of blood; determined by the antigens present on an individual's red blood cells |
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Erythrocytes |
Red blood cells containing hemoglobin; biconcave and without a nucleus |
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High Velocity Spatter |
blood spatter pattern caused by a very energetic event, e.g. gunshot |
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Kastle Meyer Test |
Presumptive test for blood using phenolphthalein |
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Low Velocity Spatter |
Blood spatter pattern caused by a relatively energetic event, e.g. blood falling from a wound |
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Medium Velocity Spatter |
Blood spatter pattern caused by a relatively energetic event, e.g. beaten with a baseball bat |
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Precipitin Test |
Antibody technology, a test used in criminology for determining the source of a blood stain |
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Autosomal Chromosomes |
Normal chromosomes containing genetic information |
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Base Pairs |
a pair of complementary bases in a double stranded nucleic acid molecule, i.e. adenine is complementary to thymine, cytosine is complementary to guanine |
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Homologous Chromosomes |
a pair of chromosomes of approximately the same length and size, one inherited from each parent |
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Human Genome |
the complete set of genetic information for humans, including DNA, genes, and chromosomes |
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Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) |
Circular DNA located in the mitochondria, comprising of 16569 bases organized into 37 genes; passed down the maternal line |
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Nucleotides |
basic building block of DNA containing the sugar, phosphate and base |
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Short Tandem Repeats (STR) |
Repeating lengths of three to seven base pairs |
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Species |
a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals |
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Friction Ridges |
a raised portion of the epidermis that enable our hands to hold up objects; pattern of friction ridges give pattern of fingerprints |
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Latent Prints |
Fingerprint impression that is not readily visible; requires chemical visualization |
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Skin Graft Procedure |
Surgical procedure involving the transplantation of skin from one part of the body to another |
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Visible Prints |
Fingerprints that are visible to the naked eye, also called patent prints |
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Co-Polymers |
Long chain molecule made up of two or more monomers |
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Hair Cortex |
Located between the hair cuticle and hair medulla; contains most of the hair's pigments |
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Hair Cuticle |
Outermost part of the hair shaft, formed from dead cells |
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Hair Follicle |
A sac from which the hair grows; contains the root of a hair |
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Hair Medulla |
Innermost part of the hair shaft; width and pattern is characteristic of species |
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Hair Root |
the part of a hair embedded in a hair follicle |
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Monomer |
a molecule that forms the basic unit for polymers; can be bonded to other molecules to form a repeating chain molecule |
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Polymer |
a long chain molecule made up of many repeating units |
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Proteins |
large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids |
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Stereo Chemical |
Difference in three dimensional structure of molecules |
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Ammunitions |
one or more loaded cartridges consisting of a primed case, propellant, and projectile |
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Back Spatter |
Blood directed backward towards the surface of the energy source |
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Ballistics |
the study of projectile in motion |
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Breech Loading Firearms |
firearms in which the cartridge or shell is loaded into a chamber integral to the rear portion of the barrel |
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Bullet |
the projectile |
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Cartridge |
a unit of ammunition, made up of a cartridge case, primer, powder and bullet |
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External ballistics |
what happens during the flight of the bullet |
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Firing Pin |
the part of a firearm mechanism that strikes the primer of a cartridge to initiate ignition |
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Firing Pin Impression |
Impression on cartridge base when struck by the firing pin |
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Griess Test |
a chemical test for the detection of nitrites |
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Gun Shot Residue (GSR) |
Residues from the explosion of primer and charge |
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Internal Ballistics |
what happens in the gun barrel |
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Lands and Grooves |
Refer to definition of Rifling; Lands are the raised portions between the grooves are cut to produce the rifling |
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Muzzle Loading firearms |
firearms in which the cartridge is loaded from the front |
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Primer |
Shock sensitive compounds that detonate when they experience a shock |
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Propellant |
a chemical that provides energy when ignited; turns into gases and particles |
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Rifling |
Cutting of spiral grooves inside a gun barrel, metal between the grooves is called a "Land" |
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Sodium Rhodizoriate Test |
A chemical test to detect the presence of particulate lead or lead vapour around a bullet hole |
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Striations |
scratch marks left on the bullet's side by grooves |
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terminal ballistics |
what happens when the projectile hits the target |
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alkaloid |
a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain nitrogen atoms |
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analog |
compounds with similar molecular structure |
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Central Nervous System |
consists of the brain and spinal cord |
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Derivatization |
chemistry technique to transform a chemical compound into a product of similar chemical structure |
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Hallucination |
Perception of objects that are not real; caused by disruption of communication between neurons |
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Hallucinogen |
a substance including hallucinations |
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Immunoassay |
a procedure for identification and detection of a substance by its ability to bind to a specific antibody |
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Neurons |
a specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses |
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Precursor Chemicals |
Compounds that are required as starting materials in the synthesis of other drugs |
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Semi-Synthetic Drugs |
Drugs chemically modified from natural drugs |
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Synthetic Drugs |
substances produced entirely by chemical reactions |
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Anthrax |
acute disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis |
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Asphyxiation |
suffocation; to be deprived of oxygen |
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Barium Meal |
Barium sulfate ingested by patients to allow soft tissues to show up on X-Rays |
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Botulism |
Potentially fatal paralytic illness caused by the bacteria Clostidium botulinum |
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Breathalyzers |
a device used to measure breath alcohol; utilizes chromium chemistry |
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Lethal Dose of 50 percent (LS50) |
amount of chemical required to kill half of the test population |
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Neurotransmission |
the transmission of nerve impulses across a synapse |
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Neurotransmitter |
a substance that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse, e.g. acetyl choline |
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Poisons |
any substance which, if taken into or formed by the body, destroys life or impairs health |
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Polypeptide |
a chain of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds |
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Route of Administration |
the path by which a poison is taken into the body |
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Toxicology |
Science of poisons and poisoning |
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Xenobiotics |
a foreign chemical substance that is not naturally produced by an organism |
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Ligature Strangulation |
Strangulation without suspension of the physical body; use of a cord-like object, also known as garrotting |
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Manifesto |
a public declaration of aims |