Deck 14: Arson and Explosives

Question 1

Which of the following may be used as an accelerant?

A) gasoline
B) dynamite
C) cotton fiber
D) chlorine gas

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Combustion on the surface of a solid fuel in the absence of heat high enough to pyrolyze the fuel as observed with coals or a cigarette is termed: ____.

A) spontaneous combustion
B) smoldering combustion
C) heat of combustion
D) glowing combustion

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following must the CSI investigate upon arriving at a suspected arson scene?

A) search for streamers
B) potential debris with accelerant
C) locate point of origin
D) time-delay device
E) all of the above

Answer 3

E

Question 4

What type of packaging container is recommended for arson evidence?

A) Paper fold
B) Zip-lock closed plastic bags
C) Sealed paper bags
D) Sealed metal paint cans

Question 5

The ion mobility spectrophotometer is a ____ test for explosives residues.

A) presumptive
B) confirmatory

Question 6

A TATP explosion produces large quantities of heat and gas.

Question 7

In a(n) ___ case, you expect to find a crater.

A) explosion
B) burglary
C) arson
D) murder

Question 8

A ____ is a chemical explosion in which the reaction front moves through the explosive at greater than 1000 m/s.

A) low
B) medium
C) high

Question 9

A liquid burns at the ____ when the temperature is high enough to vaporize it.

A) ignition temperature
B) spontaneous combustion
C) pyrolysis point
D) flash point
E) heat of combustion

Question 10

Which of the following is a low explosive?

A) black powder
B) TNT
C) ANFO
D) PETN

Question 11

Explosion initiators include electrical current from____.

A) clock switch
B) battery
C) automobile engine switch
D) watch
E) all of the above

Question 12

In order to start a fire, heat, fuel and ____ are required.

A) wood
B) lighter fluid
C) gasoline
D) oxygen

Question 13

What is the first phase in a fire's progression?

A) incipient
B) free burning
C) growth
D) oxygen-regulated smoldering

Question 14

Where is the fire's greatest damage?

A) the lowest point
B) the point of origin
C) the ceiling
D) the point at which the fire was extinguished

Question 15

An analyst compared a mixture of methyl ethyl ketone, lighter fluid and gasoline to an unknown accelerant from an arson scene. Which of the following techniques would be best for the comparison of the two samples?

A) UV-Vis spectroscopy
B) TLC
C) fluorescence spectroscopy
D) gas chromatography

Question 16

For which sample is solid phase microextraction (SPME) often used?

A) arson / accelerant
B) body fluid / DNA
C) drug material / cocaine
D) none of the above

Question 17

Explain how you would process a crime scene of suspected arson in terms of the evidence to collect and what to look for in processing. What can help you to determine if the crime was arson or not?

Question 18

Briefly explain how you can use the GC spectrum to determine that a sample is an accelerant and the class / type of accelerant present.

Question 19

What evidence would you seek to collect in an investigation of an intentional explosion?

Question 20

What chemical technique(s) would be appropriate to use to determine the identity of an explosive?

Question 21

What would you collect at a crime scene in which an improvised exploded device was detonated? What point of interest would you be sure to examine?

Question 22

How should fire debris is a case of suspected arson be collected?

Question 23

List the three stages of a fire.

Question 24

Where would you look to find the point of origin of a fire?

Question 25

What chemical technique(s) would be appropriate to use to determine the identity of an accelerant?

Question 26

List the evidence that you would seek to collect, either in photographs or in physical evidence, to determine if a fire was intentional.

Question 27

List the evidence that you would seek to collect, either in photographs or in physical evidence, in an IED case.