Deck 6: Death Investigation

Question 1

A substance with a pH of 8 is likely to be:

A) acidic.
B) water.
C) neutral.
D) corrosive.
E) basic.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Field sobriety tests do NOT include:

A) one leg stand.
B) performance of sit ups.
C) horizontal gaze nystagmus.
D) divided-attention tasks.
E) walk and turn.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which is NOT a factor in determining the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream?

A) the alcoholic content of the beverage
B) the presence or absence of food in the stomach
C) the amount consumed
D) all of the above
E) A and C only

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A breath test reflects the alcohol concentration in the:

A) superior vena cava.
B) aorta.
C) left ventricle.
D) pulmonary artery.
E) pulmonary vein.

Question 5

Which of the following CANNOT be used by the medical examiner to determine the body's alcohol content to a reasonable degree of accuracy if blood is not available?

A) urine
B) vitreous humor
C) cerebrospinal fluid
D) brain tissue
E) A and D

Question 6

Carbon monoxide is toxic because it:

A) destroys red blood cells.
B) causes brain damage due to overexposure to carbon atoms.
C) combines with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin.
D) causes platelets to clump.
E) activates killer white blood cells.

Question 7

The amount of alcohol absorbed through the stomach walls is ________ the amount of alcohol absorbed through the walls of the small intestine.

A) less than
B) greater than
C) the same as

Question 8

Upon entering the bloodstream, heroin is almost immediately metabolized into:

A) procaine.
B) codeine.
C) morphine.
D) cocaine.
E) opium.

Question 9

In Western countries the most heavily abused drug(s) is/are:

A) cocaine.
B) alcohol.
C) tranquilizers.
D) barbiturates.
E) amphetamines.

Question 10

Which of the following countries uses the lowest blood alcohol concentration to determine legal impairment?

A) United States
B) Canada
C) France
D) Sweden
E) Japan

Question 11

The toxicologist's capabilities are NOT directly dependent on the input from the:

A) case prosecutor.
B) police.
C) attending physician.
D) medical examiner.
E) all of the above

Question 12

Of the following, which is an acid drug?

A) PCP
B) cocaine
C) methamphetamine
D) methadone
E) aspirin

Question 13

To analyze blood for alcohol, forensic labs normally use:

A) LC.
B) GM/MS.
C) GC.
D) PCR.
E) TLC.

Question 14

There is a(n) ________ relationship between the amount of alcohol in the blood and that in the alveolar breath.

A) direct
B) indirect
C) punctuated
D) undetermined
E) variable

Question 15

Which test is NOT a widely used screening tool in the toxicology lab?

A) immunoassay
B) GC-MS
C) GC
D) TLC
E) none of the above

Question 16

During the period of absorption, the concentration of alcohol in arterial blood is ________ the concentration of alcohol in venous blood.

A) greater than
B) the same as
C) less than

Question 17

The Reinsch test would NOT be used to detect:

A) copper.
B) bismuth.
C) arsenic.
D) lead.
E) mercury.

Question 18

In a Breathalyzer, silver nitrate:

A) is converted to acetic acid.
B) combines with ethyl alcohol.
C) acts as a catalyst.
D) neutralizes sulfuric acid.
E) destroys potassium dichromate.

Question 19

In which instrument is alcohol NOT oxidized to acetic acid as part of the operation of the equipment?

A) fuel cell (Alco-Sensor IV)
B) infrared breath testing instrument (BAC Data Master)
C) Breathalyzer
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 20

The DOT set the maximum allowable blood alcohol concentration for commercial truck and bus drivers at:

A) )04%.
B) )05%.
C) )08%.
D) )02%.
E) )10%.

Question 21

The DRE program incorporates standardized methods for examining suspects to determine:

A) all of the above.
B) whether they are transporting any illegal substances.
C) whether they have ever taken one or more drugs.
D) whether they are involved in the buying or selling of drugs.
E) whether they are under the influence of one or more drugs.

Question 22

In the case of Schmerber v. California, blood was categorized as being:

A) testimonial evidence.
B) circumstantial evidence.
C) direct evidence.
D) indirect evidence.
E) nontestimonial evidence.

Question 23

A neutral substance will have a pH closest to:

A) 2
B) 7
C) 9
D) 0
E) 5

Question 24

Alcohol is eliminated from the body chemically unchanged in:

A) perspiration.
B) urine.
C) breath.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.

Question 25

The elimination or "burn off" rate of alcohol averages ___________ percent w/v per hour.

A) 0.10
B) 0.15
C) 0.010
D) 0.015
E) none of the above

Question 26

The analytical technique widely used for directly measuring the amount of alcohol present in the blood is:

A) atomic absorption.
B) infrared spectrophotometry.
C) thin-layer chromatography.
D) neutron activation analysis.
E) gas chromatography.

Question 27

The presence of high levels of carbon monoxide in the blood of a victim found at the scene of a suspicious fire is proof that the victim:

A) was the arsonist.
B) perished after the fire started.
C) died before the fire started.
D) died elsewhere and was brought to the fire scene after death.
E) was not a cigarette smoker.

Question 28

The rate of alcohol absorption on a full stomach is ________ the rate of absorption on an empty stomach.

A) less than
B) greater than
C) the same as

Question 29

Alcohol is oxidized in the body primarily in:

A) the stomach.
B) the lungs.
C) the kidneys.
D) the small intestine.
E) the liver.

Question 30

For the purpose of extracting the drug out of body tissues, an amphetamine is classified as an:

A) Acid drug
B) Neutral drug
C) Basic drug
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 31

Blood is drawn from a living suspect involved in an automobile accident. If the specimen is kept unrefrigerated and at a moderately warm temperature the alcohol concentration can be expected to:

A) remain unchanged.
B) either increase or decrease with time.
C) decrease with time.
D) increase with time.
E) outcome is unpredictable.

Question 32

Explain how alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, transported through the body and eliminated.

Question 33

In forensic toxicology, all positive drug findings must be confirmed by a specific chemical test. The confirmation test of choice is:

A) ultraviolet spectrophotometry
B) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
C) gas chromatography
D) thin-layer chromatography
E) infrared spectrophotometry

Question 34

Some breath-testing devices for alcohol use ___________ light to measure the quantity of alcohol trapped in a chamber.

A) laser
B) visible
C) ultraviolet
D) infrared
E) colored

Question 35

The blood alcohol concentration level for being legally "Under the Influence" in most states is:

A) 0.04 percent.
B) 0.05 percent.
C) 0.08 percent.
D) 0.15 percent.
E) 0.10 percent.

Question 36

The concentration of alcohol in an exhaled breath is in direct proportion to that of the blood of the same individual. The ratio of this relationship is closest to:

A) 1:1,000.
B) 1:10.
C) 1:100.
D) 1:21,000.
E) 1:2,000.

Question 37

The following drug is not typically found in blood or urine:

A) amobarbital.
B) morphine.
C) amphetamine.
D) heroin.
E) methadone.

Question 38

Field sobriety tests that can be employed to ascertain the degree of an individual's alcohol impairment normally do not include the following:

A) Horizontal gaze nystagmus
B) Portable, roadside breath tester
C) One-leg stand
D) Gas chromatography
E) Walk and turn

Question 39

Explain how alcohol is released by the lungs.

Question 40

A breath test may be used to analyze:

A) amphetamines.
B) barbiturates.
C) ethyl alcohol.
D) marijuana.
E) all of the above.

Question 41

What precautions must be taken to preserve blood samples to be analyzed in the lab for alcohol content?

Question 42

List and describe the most commonly employed field sobriety tests.

Question 43

List and describe lab tests that are used in measuring the concentration of alcohol in the blood.

Question 44

Briefly describe the case of Schmerber v. California and the implied consent laws.

Question 45

List and describe the techniques that a forensic toxicologist may use to isolate and identify drugs and poisons.

Question 46

Briefly describe how a toxicologist finds a drug in human tissue or organs.