Deck 3: Establishing Medicolegal Significance

Question 1

A skeleton is discovered in a grave south of Albuquerque in a fully extended position. The bone is dark in color, feels heavy, dry to the touch, solid, and the surface texture is smooth. The teeth have gold fillings and there is a bridge between the first molar and the first premolar. Evidence of modern clothing is found buried with the remains along with a shotgun shell and a pocketknife. Pieces of broken pot considered to be 1,000 years old and stone tools are found scattered about 10 feet nor

A) The majority of the cultural artifacts
B) The majority of the characteristics of the bone
C) The cultural modifications to the teeth
D) All of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The os coxae of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the:

A) Narrow ilium
B) Elongate shape
C) Wide pubis
D) All of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The sacrum of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by:

A) Overall shape
B) Number of vertebrae
C) Length and width
D) All of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The metapoidials of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the shape of the:

A) Proximal articular surface
B) Shaft
C) Distal articular surface
D) All of the above

Question 5

The humerus of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the configuration of the:

A) Greater tubercle
B) Head
C) Trochlea
D) All of the above

Question 6

The scapula of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the:

A) Presence of a glenoid fossa
B) Overall outline
C) Presence of a spine
D) All of the above

Question 7

The thoracic vertebra of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the:

A) Presence of facets for the ribs
B) Single curve from neck to back
C) The long spinous processes
D) All of the above

Question 8

The sacrum of adult humans is different from nonhumans by:

A) Fused vertebrae
B) Triangular shape
C) Area for articulation with the ilia
D) All of the above

Question 9

The adult human skeleton can be distinguished from nonhuman skeletons by which of the following bones?

A) Skull
B) Pelvis
C) Long limb bones
D) All of the above

Question 10

Which of the following is a maturity difference between subadult human long bones and those of nonhumans?

A) Unfused epiphyses
B) Greater curvature of the diaphyses
C) Smooth articular surfaces
D) All of the above

Question 11

Which of the following can be used to distinguish human from nonhuman bone?

A) Histological structures
B) Maturity differences
C) Architectural differences
D) All of the above

Question 12

The pelvis of humans can be distinguished from those of nonhumans by the:

A) Presence of an ilium
B) Short, wide shape
C) Presence of a sacrum
D) All of the above

Question 13

The femur of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the shape of the:

A) Greater trochanter
B) Head
C) Distal articular surface
D) All of the above

Question 14

A skeleton is discovered in a grave south of Albuquerque in a fully extended position. The bone is dark in color, feels heavy, dry to the touch, solid, and the surface texture is smooth. The teeth have gold fillings and there is a bridge between the first molar and the first premolar. Evidence of modern clothing is found buried with the remains along with a shotgun shell and a pocketknife. Pieces of broken pot considered to be 1,000 years old and stone tools are found scattered about 10 feet nor

A) Is unequivocally modern
B) Could be modern
C) Could be either modern or prehistoric
D) Is unequivocally prehistoric

Question 15

A skeleton is discovered in a grave south of Albuquerque in a fully extended position. The bone is dark in color, feels heavy, dry to the touch, solid, and the surface texture is smooth. The teeth have gold fillings and there is a bridge between the first molar and the first premolar. Evidence of modern clothing is found buried with the remains along with a shotgun shell and a pocketknife. Pieces of broken pot considered to be 1,000 years old and stone tools are found scattered about 10 feet nor

A) Pieces of pottery and stone tools
B) Modern clothing
C) Shotgun shell
D) Pocketknife

Question 16

A skeleton is discovered in a grave south of Albuquerque in a fully extended position. The bone is dark in color, feels heavy, dry to the touch, solid, and the surface texture is smooth. The teeth have gold fillings and there is a bridge between the first molar and the first premolar. Evidence of modern clothing is found buried with the remains along with a shotgun shell and a pocketknife. Pieces of broken pot considered to be 1,000 years old and stone tools are found scattered about 10 feet nor

A) Weight
B) Solidity
C) Surface texture
D) All of the above

Question 17

A skeleton is discovered in a grave south of Albuquerque in a fully extended position. The bone is dark in color, feels heavy, dry to the touch, solid, and the surface texture is smooth. The teeth have gold fillings and there is a bridge between the first molar and the first premolar. Evidence of modern clothing is found buried with the remains along with a shotgun shell and a pocketknife. Pieces of broken pot considered to be 1,000 years old and stone tools are found scattered about 10 feet nor

A) Color
B) Weight
C) Solidity
D) Surface texture

Question 18

Which of the following indicates that a skeleton is contemporary?

A) Brown color
B) Grainy, pitted texture
C) Smooth bone surfaces
D) Flexed burial position

Question 19

Which of the following indicates that a skeleton is noncontemporary?

A) Brown colored bone
B) Grainy, pitted texture
C) Incisors filed to a point
D) All of the above

Question 20

Which of the following indicates that a bone is contemporary?

A) Yellowish-white color
B) Grainy, pitted texture
C) Dry feel
D) All of the above

Question 21

Which of the following indicates that a bone is noncontemporary?

A) Yellowish-white color
B) Grainy, pitted texture
C) Greasy feel
D) Heavy weight

Question 22

Humans hands and feet are similar to bear paws in the:

A) Shape of the metacarpals/metatarsals
B) Shape of the phalanges
C) Number of phalanages
D) All of the above

Question 23

The tibia of nonhumans can be distinguished from humans by the:

A) Presence of a proximal articular surface
B) Length of the shaft
C) Configuration of the distal articular surface
D) All of the above

Question 24

Which of the following is a characteristic of bone when viewed under a microscope?

A) Compact surface
B) Cell-like openings
C) Extreme graininess
D) All of the above

Question 25

Burials in old, long forgotten private graveyards may be mistaken for cases of medicolegal significance.

Question 26

Only modern humans bury their dead in an extended position.

Question 27

The mammalian metapodials are likely to be mistaken as human metacarpals and metatarsals.

Question 28

The ulna and radius of ungulates are distinctly different from their human counterparts.

Question 29

Both the human sacrum and sternum are distinctly different from those of other mammals.

Question 30

The human spine has one more curve than most mammals.

Question 31

The human skull is not easily mistaken for the skull of another animal.

Question 32

Human canine teeth might be easily mistaken for those of a carnivore.

Question 33

The ribs of human subadults are more curved than their mammalian counterparts.

Question 34

The main maturity distinction between subadult human long bones and those of adult mammalians is the lack of epiphyses on their ends.

Question 35

Humans have more plexiform bone than other mammals.

Question 36

When viewed under a microscope, bone will not appear to have a compact surface.

Question 37

One of the ways to separate bear paws from human feet is the groove on the proximal ends of the phalanges.

Question 38

The premolars of a pig and the molars of humans are fairly similar.

Question 39

The presence of a prosthetic implant indicates that the skeleton is definitely not prehistoric.

Question 40

If you find a burial that is semi-flexed, you should assume that it is prehistoric.

Question 41

If you find a burial that is fully flexed associated with stone tools and pieces of ancient pottery, you would be inclined to believe that it is prehistoric.

Question 42

A human palate with plastic caps is definitely contemporary, and may be medicolegally significant.

Question 43

If you found a skull with a flattened occipital, incisors filed to points associated with stone tools, you would be inclined to assume that it represents a prehistoric individual.

Question 44

Decalcified bones are lighter than fresh bones, and are more likely to be from noncontemporary persons.

Question 45

The presence of a large amount of soft tissue on a skeleton makes it highly likely that it is from a contemporary person.

Question 46

A skeleton is discovered that is brown in color, fairly heavy and in good condition; therefore, it is very likely prehistoric.

Question 47

The neck of the femur from cows is longer than that of humans.

Question 48

The pubic face of humans is larger than those of nonhuman animals.

Question 49

A skeleton that is determined to be from a person who died in 1990 would be considered to be contemporary, and possibly of medicolegal significance.