Forensic Science & Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CPI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Forensic Science & Analysis flashcards as text
When documenting accelerant burn patterns at a fire scene, which pattern most strongly suggests a liquid accelerant was poured in a trail?
Answer: Pour pattern or irregular low burn line on the floor
A pour pattern or irregular low burn line on the floor indicates a liquid accelerant was distributed and ignited along that path.
In forensic entomology used during death investigations, the presence of blow fly pupae but no adult flies indicates what about time of death?
Answer: Death occurred several days to weeks ago
Pupae represent a later development stage, suggesting death occurred days to weeks prior, as eggs hatch and larvae develop before pupation.
A CPI inspector finds charring that is deepest at floor level with minimal ceiling damage. This pattern most suggests:
Answer: A slow-burning, low-point fire origin possibly involving accelerants
Deep charring concentrated at floor level with limited ceiling involvement suggests a slow, low-burning fire, which may indicate an accelerant used at floor level.
Which chemical test is commonly used in the field to presumptively identify the presence of blood at an inspection scene?
Answer: Luminol or Kastle-Meyer test
Luminol (chemiluminescence) and the Kastle-Meyer test (phenolphthalein) are standard presumptive tests for blood detection.
When analyzing a questioned document for ink dating, which laboratory technique examines the chemical degradation of ink over time?
Answer: Thin-layer chromatography (TLC)
Thin-layer chromatography separates ink components to analyze their chemical composition and degradation, helping establish the approximate age of ink.
A CPI inspector observes a distinctive 'low burn' pattern on door framing with clean burn marks near the floor. The most accurate interpretation is:
Answer: This is consistent with arson using a floor-level accelerant
Low burn patterns on vertical surfaces near floor level, especially with clean edges, are a classic forensic indicator of floor-applied accelerant use in arson.
Which type of evidence is considered 'class evidence' rather than 'individual evidence' in forensic analysis?
Answer: A shoe impression matching a brand and size but not a specific shoe
Class evidence links a sample to a group (e.g., shoe brand/size) but cannot be traced to a single unique source, unlike individual evidence.