Deck 5: Estimating Postmortem Interval

Question 1

A body is found in a lake with an average temerature of 10°C. After analysis, it is determined to have a TADS of 12. What is the PMI in average number of days?

A) 10.5
B) 1.5
C) 15
D) 20

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In which of the following climates can human remains, found on the surface, be reduced to a skeleton in a single year?

A) Warm, moist
B) Hot, dry
C) Cold
D) All of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following processes causes a body to become naturally preserved?

A) Autolysis
B) Putrefication
C) Insect activity
D) Mummification

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following processes causes the breakdown of muscle, internal organs and other tissue?

A) Autolysis
B) Putrefication
C) Insect activity
D) All of the above

Question 5

Which of the following processes causes a body to be digested as though it were food?

A) Autolysis
B) Putrefication
C) Insect activity
D) All of the above

Question 6

Which of the following is the study of what plants growing in, and around, human remains can tell about PMI and other factors?

A) Forensic taphonomy
B) Forensic entomology
C) Forensic botany
D) All of the above

Question 7

Which of the following is the study of what insects on human remains can tell about PMI and other factors?

A) Forensic taphonomy
B) Forensic entomology
C) Forensic botany
D) All of the above

Question 8

Which of the following is the study of what happens to a biological organism between death and its discovery?

A) Forensic taphonomy
B) Forensic entomology
C) Forensic botany
D) All of the above

Question 9

By knowing the amount of soft tissue lost and average temperature of the water in which a body is discovered, PMI can be calculated.

Question 10

In which of the following climates can human remains, found on the surface, appear to be fresh for a day or two?

A) Warm, moist
B) Hot, dry
C) A and B
D) None of the above

Question 11

In which of the following climates can buried human remains be reduced to a skeleton in eight or more years?

A) Warm, moist
B) Hot, dry
C) Cold
D) All of the above

Question 12

A body is discovered in near Albuquerque, New Mexico (a hot, dry area), with no evidence that it was ever buried. The flesh is sagging and less than half of the skeleton is visible. The bones that are visible have a greasy look and feel; however, the left foot is fully skeletonized, with a little desiccated soft tissue on its dry bone. A cotton skirt shows a small amount of deterioration while nylon stockings located near the body are in good condition. The most likely time since death based on

A) less than 1 week
B) 2 to 3 weeks
C) 1 to 2 months
D) 2.5 to 3 months

Question 13

A body is discovered in near Albuquerque, New Mexico (a hot, dry area), with no evidence that it was ever buried. The flesh is sagging and less than half of the skeleton is visible. The bones that are visible have a greasy look and feel; however, the left foot is fully skeletonized, with a little desiccated soft tissue on its dry bone. A cotton skirt shows a small amount of deterioration while nylon stockings located near the body are in good condition. The time since death based on carnivore ac

A) less than 2 weeks
B) 3 weeks to 2.5 months
C) 2.5 to 3 months
D) unknown

Question 14

A body is discovered in near Albuquerque, New Mexico (a hot, dry area), with no evidence that it was ever buried. The flesh is sagging and less than half of the skeleton is visible. The bones that are visible have a greasy look and feel; however, the left foot is fully skeletonized, with a little desiccated soft tissue on its dry bone. A cotton skirt shows a small amount of deterioration while nylon stockings located near the body are in good condition. The time since death based on clothing is:

A) less than 1 month
B) 1 to 3 months
C) over 3 months
D) over 1 year

Question 15

A body is discovered in near Albuquerque, New Mexico (a hot, dry area), with no evidence that it was ever buried. The flesh is sagging and less than half of the skeleton is visible. The bones that are visible have a greasy look and feel; however, the left foot is fully skeletonized, with a little desiccated soft tissue on its dry bone. A cotton skirt shows a small amount of deterioration while nylon stockings located near the body are in good condition. The approximate time since death based on

A) less than 1 week
B) approximately 1 week
C) 2.5 to 4 months
D) 6 months to 3 years

Question 16

Which of these items shows the most deterioration when exposed to weather and other environmental factors?

A) Rayon
B) Cotton
C) Wool
D) Acrylic

Question 17

Which of these items shows the least deterioration when exposed to weather and other environmental factors?

A) Paper money
B) Cotton
C) Wool
D) Acrylic

Question 18

Scavenging by dogs and coyotes can take which of the following forms?

A) Consumption of soft tissue
B) Destruction of the anterior chest and abdomen
C) Removal of body segments
D) All of the above

Question 19

In which of the following climates can submerged human remains be reduced to a skeleton in two or more years?

A) Warm, moist
B) Hot, dry
C) Cold
D) All of the above

Question 20

Paper money, in good condition, is found in the jeans pocket of a buried body. From this information, it is probable that the person has been dead only about 6 months.

Question 21

A buried body is excavated and found to be clothed in nylons, a wool skirt and a silk blouse, all of which are in very poor condition. From this information, it is probable that this woman has been dead for at least a year.

Question 22

Paper money, in a severely deteriorated state, is found in the jeans pocket of a body found on the surface. From this information, it is probable that the person has been dead only about 6 months.

Question 23

Advanced decomposition in all climates involves some level of skeletonization.

Question 24

Skeletonization is not one of the phases of decomposition in hot, dry climates.

Question 25

The first year after death in warm, moist climates is characterized by skeletonization.

Question 26

The PMI of a decomposed body that is found in the warm summer months is more likely drawn from the high end of the range for decomposition.

Question 27

The decomposition process of the human body is often divided into stages for ease of understanding.

Question 28

Natural mummification occurs mainly in hot, wet environments.

Question 29

Adipocere, a substance composed of body fats that have absorbed water, occurs mainly among submerged remains.

Question 30

Some factors that can affect the rate of decomposition of a body are soil type, humidity, temperature, and level of insect activity.

Question 31

Complete skeletonization can occur in as few as two months in both hot, arid climates and cold climates.

Question 32

Insect and carnivore activity can affect the amount of soft tissue remaining on a decomposing body.

Question 33

A buried body is excavated and found to be clothed in nylons, a wool skirt and a silk blouse all of which are in good condition. From this information, it is probable that this woman has been dead for well over one year.

Question 34

One of the tasks forensic anthropologists should undertake is collect plant material from human remains for analysis by forensic botanists.

Question 35

The number of rings in a root growing through human remains can be used to calculate PMI.

Question 36

One of the tasks forensic anthropologists should undertake is the capture of insects from human remains for analysis by forensic entomologists.

Question 37

Even rodents can remove soft tissue from human remains.

Question 38

Scavenging by animals can cause both arms and legs to be separated from the rest of the body.

Question 39

Submerged remains decay faster than surface remains.

Question 40

Buried remains decay faster than surface remains.

Question 41

Forensic entomology is the study of how biological organisms change between death and discovery.