Death and Bones
Review Questions
1. What is liver mortis? How might this reveal information about the time of death?
Liver Mortis is the settling of blood in the lowest parts of the body after death. This process usually begins 8 to 12 hours after death and can help investigators tell if the body has been moved.
2. What three aspects does a forensic autopsy seek information about? Describe each of these aspects?
Cause of death- medical problem that leads to death.
Mechanism of death- any weapon or instrument used in the death
Manner of death- usually refers to suicide or homicide
3. How can digestion rates give information to forensic scientists about the time of death?
When someone dies, the digestion of any food eaten ceases.
4. What is mummification?
Mummification is the drying of the body and its tissues.
5. How can human bones give forensic scientists an indication of age? Describe some of the aspects that would give this information.
They focus on the lengths of the bones to see if they compare with the average age range.. they also look for conditions of the bones.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Imagine that you are at a crime scene. You find skeletal remains, but the skeleton is not complete as some of the smaller bones are missing. The bones are within a twenty feet radius. Based on this information, what would you be able to ascertain about the time of death and the individual who was killed?
The time of death would most likely be years do to the amount of decay.
2. Out of the different methods to help determine the time of death, which one do you think is most effective? Why?
Rigor mortis because its more reliable.
3. Do you think you would like to participate in an autopsy? Why or why not?
No, I would not like to participate in an autopsy because I don’t do well with eye contact of someone’s insides.
4. If you were a forensic anthropologist and were studying human remains, what information would you look for in the bones? Why would this
1. What is liver mortis? How might this reveal information about the time of death?
Liver Mortis is the settling of blood in the lowest parts of the body after death. This process usually begins 8 to 12 hours after death and can help investigators tell if the body has been moved.
2. What three aspects does a forensic autopsy seek information about? Describe each of these aspects?
Cause of death- medical problem that leads to death.
Mechanism of death- any weapon or instrument used in the death
Manner of death- usually refers to suicide or homicide
3. How can digestion rates give information to forensic scientists about the time of death?
When someone dies, the digestion of any food eaten ceases.
4. What is mummification?
Mummification is the drying of the body and its tissues.
5. How can human bones give forensic scientists an indication of age? Describe some of the aspects that would give this information.
They focus on the lengths of the bones to see if they compare with the average age range.. they also look for conditions of the bones.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Imagine that you are at a crime scene. You find skeletal remains, but the skeleton is not complete as some of the smaller bones are missing. The bones are within a twenty feet radius. Based on this information, what would you be able to ascertain about the time of death and the individual who was killed?
The time of death would most likely be years do to the amount of decay.
2. Out of the different methods to help determine the time of death, which one do you think is most effective? Why?
Rigor mortis because its more reliable.
3. Do you think you would like to participate in an autopsy? Why or why not?
No, I would not like to participate in an autopsy because I don’t do well with eye contact of someone’s insides.
4. If you were a forensic anthropologist and were studying human remains, what information would you look for in the bones? Why would this