Question 1

In 1910 a comprehensive study of hair titled The Hair of Man and Animals was published by the French forensic scientists, Victor Balthazard and Marcelle Lambert.This text includes numerous microscopic studies of hair from:

Accepted Answer

The text includes numerous microscopic studies of hair from most animals.

Question 2

The hair shaft is made up of three layers: an outer medulla, a cortex, and an inner cuticle.

Accepted Answer

The hair shaft is made up of three layers: an outer cuticle, a cortex, and an inner medulla.

Question 3

A hair consists of two parts: a follicle and a shaft.

Accepted Answer

The hair follicle is the skin organ that produces hair, anchoring it into the dermis, while the shaft is the visible part of the hair that extends above the skin surface.

Question 4

When humans are born, they have about:

Accepted Answer

Humans are born with about 5 million hair follicles, and only two percent of these are located on the head.

Question 5

All mammals have hair.Its main purpose is to:

Accepted Answer

Hair in mammals primarily serves as insulation, helping to regulate body temperature by retaining heat.

Question 6

Hair viewed for forensic investigations is studied both macroscopically and microscopically.Microscopic characteristics include the:

Accepted Answer

All of these choices are correct because microscopic examination of hair in forensic investigations includes studying the pattern of the medulla, the pigmentation of the cortex, and the types of scales on the cuticle.

Question 7

Bits of pigment found in the cortex of a hair is called melanin granules.

Accepted Answer

Melanin granules are indeed the bits of pigment found in the cortex of a hair, responsible for giving hair its color.

Question 8

A type of protein made up of a chain of amino acids that makes hair both strong and flexible is:

Accepted Answer

Keratin is the type of protein that makes hair both strong and flexible. It is a key structural material making up the outer layer of human skin, as well as hair and nails.

Question 9

The region of a hair located outside of the medulla containing granules of pigment is called:

Accepted Answer

The cortex of a hair is the region located outside of the medulla that contains granules of pigment, which give the hair its color.

Question 10

Hair is considered:

Accepted Answer

Hair is considered class evidence when it lacks the follicle; without DNA, it cannot be linked to a single individual but can place an individual in a certain group.

Question 11

Many dyes and other hair treatments will fluoresce under a certain color (wavelength) of light.In a fluorescence microscope, a beam of light of a certain wavelength is used.If the sample contains particular chemicals, it will absorb some of the light and then reemit light of a different wavelength.This is called:

Accepted Answer

Fluorescence is the process where a substance absorbs light at one wavelength and then emits light at a different, usually longer, wavelength. This is the principle behind the operation of a fluorescence microscope.

Question 12

Since hair grows out of the skin, chemicals that the skin absorbs can become incorporated into hair.Ingested or absorbed toxins can be detected by chemical analyses of hair.These ingested or absorbed toxins include:

Accepted Answer

Hair analysis can detect a variety of ingested or absorbed substances, including arsenic, lead, and drugs, as these substances can become incorporated into the hair as it grows.

Question 13

Hair can adhere to clothes, carpets and many other surfaces and be transferred to other locations.This is called:

Accepted Answer

Secondary transfer occurs when evidence, like hair, is moved from one location to another via an intermediary object or person.

Question 14

In humans, the cortex is the largest part of the hair shaft.

Accepted Answer

The cortex is the thickest layer of the hair shaft and contains most of the hair's pigment, making it the largest part compared to the cuticle and medulla.

Question 15

The rate of hair growth is important to know because it can help determine the last time hair was chemically treated.Human hair grows at which rate:

Accepted Answer

Human hair typically grows at a rate of about 1.3 cm per month. This knowledge is useful in various fields, including forensic science and hair care.

Question 16

The central core of a hair fiber is called the ___________________________ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of The central core of a hair fiber...

Question 17

The cuticle is a transparent inner layer of the hair shaft.

Accepted Answer

The cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair shaft, not an inner layer, and it serves as a protective barrier for the inner layers of the hair.

Question 18

Animal hair and human hair have several differences including:

Accepted Answer

Animal hair and human hair differ in the pattern of pigmentation, the medullary index (ratio of the diameter of the medulla to the diameter of the entire hair), and the cuticle type, making all of these choices correct.

Question 19

A classic 1883 text on forensic science, The Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence by Alfred Swaine Taylor and Thomas Stevenson contains a chapter on using:

Accepted Answer

The book "The Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence" by Alfred Swaine Taylor and Thomas Stevenson includes a chapter on using hair in forensic investigations, which was a significant area of study in forensic science during that time.

Question 20

Investigators recognized the importance of analysis of hair as:

Accepted Answer

Analysis of hair was recognized as important trace evidence in criminal investigations starting in the late 1800s, helping to link suspects to crime scenes.

Quiz 3: Hair Analysis