Unit 5: Forensic Science: Research and Applications - Practice Quiz

1 What is the primary goal of forensic science?

2 Which branch of forensic science deals with the analysis of DNA from biological samples?

3 The study of fingerprints for identification is known as:

4 Which forensic discipline studies insects to estimate the time of death?

5 Forensic toxicology primarily deals with the detection of:

6 Which emerging thrust area involves the recovery of evidence from computers and mobile devices?

7 Forensic odontology is concerned with the study of:

8 The examination of firearms, bullets, and cartridge cases falls under:

9 Which principle states that every contact leaves a trace?

10 Forensic anthropology primarily focuses on the study of:

11 The analysis of blood, semen, and other body fluids is known as forensic:

12 Which document is used to record the movement and handling of evidence?

13 Questioned document examination most commonly involves the analysis of:

14 Which technique is widely used to separate and identify chemical components in forensic samples?

15 A medico-legal autopsy is primarily performed to determine:

16 Which of the following is considered an emerging thrust research area in forensic science?

17 Trace evidence typically refers to:

18 The technique of DNA fingerprinting was developed by:

19 Which forensic area focuses on identifying substances of abuse and narcotics?

20 Why is research in forensic science considered important?

21 A forensic analyst recovers a bloodstain from a crime scene and needs to identify the individual source with the highest discriminatory power. Which analytical approach is most appropriate?

22 In a research project on latent fingerprint enhancement, which reagent is best suited for developing prints on porous surfaces such as paper?

23 A questioned document examiner suspects that a signature was traced. Which feature most strongly supports a tracing rather than a genuine signature?

24 A toxicology researcher wants to confirm the presence of a specific drug after a positive immunoassay screen. Which technique is considered the confirmatory gold standard?

25 In forensic entomology research, the estimation of the minimum post-mortem interval (PMI) primarily relies on which factor?

26 A researcher analyzing gunshot residue (GSR) by SEM-EDX looks for particles containing which characteristic combination of elements?

27 In a digital forensics investigation, an analyst must ensure the integrity of a seized hard drive. Which practice best preserves evidentiary integrity?

28 A forensic serologist obtains a positive result with the phenolphthalein (Kastle-Meyer) test. What is the correct interpretation?

29 A forensic anthropology researcher examines skeletal remains to estimate sex. Which region generally provides the most reliable indicator?

30 In fingerprint identification research, the persistence of ridge patterns throughout life is attributed to which principle?

31 A researcher uses mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis instead of nuclear STR profiling. This choice is most appropriate when the sample is:

32 During drug analysis, a chemist obtains a purple color with the Marquis reagent. This presumptively indicates which class of substance?

33 In bloodstain pattern analysis, a nearly circular stain with minimal distortion indicates that the blood droplet struck the surface at what angle?

34 A trace evidence researcher compares two glass fragments. Measuring which physical property provides a strong basis for comparison?

35 In forensic odontology research, bite mark and dental record comparison is used primarily for which purpose?

36 A firearms examiner matches a bullet to a suspect weapon. The individual characteristics used for this identification are found in the:

37 A researcher applies chain of custody documentation. Its primary forensic purpose is to:

38 In DNA analysis research, the PCR technique is essential because it primarily allows the analyst to:

39 A forensic researcher studies decomposition and observes greenish discoloration of the abdomen. This marks the onset of which stage?

40 In forensic ballistics research, the determination of a shooter's position often relies on trajectory reconstruction. Which method best establishes the bullet's path?

41 A forensic DNA analyst obtains a mixed profile from a crime scene sample containing DNA from three contributors. When applying the probabilistic genotyping approach over the older Combined Probability of Inclusion (CPI) method, what is the primary methodological advantage?

42 In forensic entomology research, the accumulated degree days (ADD) model is used to estimate the minimum post-mortem interval (PMI). If a species requires 250 ADD to reach a given developmental stage and the average daily temperature is 25°C with a developmental threshold of 10°C, approximately how many days are needed?

43 A thrust area in forensic toxicology is post-mortem redistribution (PMR). Why does PMR complicate interpretation of drug concentrations measured in a cadaver's blood?

44 In forensic research on fingerprint identification, the debate over ACE-V methodology centers on which fundamental scientific criticism?

45 A researcher is validating a new presumptive test for blood. The test shows a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 70%. In a screening population where only 5% of stains are actually blood, what is the approximate positive predictive value (PPV)?

46 Forensic research into touch DNA faces the challenge of secondary transfer. Which experimental design best isolates whether secondary transfer occurred rather than direct deposition?

47 In forensic document examination research, why is ESDA (Electrostatic Detection Apparatus) considered valuable yet limited?

48 A forensic anthropologist estimates age-at-death using multiple skeletal indicators that give differing estimates. What is the statistically sound thrust-area approach to combining them?

49 In digital forensics research, the concept of order of volatility dictates evidence collection priority. Which sequence correctly reflects collecting from most to least volatile?

50 A key research problem in forensic DNA is the interpretation of the likelihood ratio (LR). If an LR of 1,000,000 is reported, which statement is the correct interpretation?

51 Forensic research on gunshot residue (GSR) analysis by SEM-EDX identifies characteristic particles. Which particle composition is considered uniquely characteristic of GSR?

52 In bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) research, the angle of impact () is derived from stain dimensions. For a stain with width and length , what is the impact angle?

53 A major thrust in forensic science research is addressing cognitive bias. Which measure is specifically designed to mitigate contextual bias in examiners?

54 Research into forensic stable isotope analysis for provenancing unknown human remains primarily exploits which principle?

55 In forensic research, the Daubert standard governs admissibility of scientific evidence in the U.S. Which factor is NOT among the core Daubert criteria?

56 A forensic researcher performs STR analysis and observes a locus showing three peaks of roughly equal height. What is the most scientifically supported interpretation?

57 Emerging research on microbial forensics (the human microbiome) proposes it for identification. What is the principal limitation compared to human STR profiling?

58 In forensic research validating an analytical instrument, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) are often defined using signal-to-noise ratios. Conventionally, these correspond to approximately which ratios?

59 Forensic research into next-generation sequencing (NGS/MPS) for forensic genetics offers what key advantage over capillary electrophoresis (CE) for STR typing?

60 A researcher applies Bayes' theorem to update the probability a suspect is the source given new trace evidence. If the prior odds are 1:1000 and the likelihood ratio of the evidence is 50,000, what are the posterior odds?