Unit Summary

Use the following table to review what you have learned in this unit.



Questions

Summary


  1. What is evidence?

      2. 1.1 What evidence can be found of human or animal activity?

      1.2 How can evidence be used to make inferences?

  • Evidence can be in the form of material left behind (trace evidence) such as hair, fibres, or soil.
  • Evidence can also be impression evidence such as fingerprints, footprints, or tire prints.
  • Observations allow us to make inferences by analyzing the evidence that is left behind.

  1. How can evidence be linked to its possible source?

      2. 2.1 How can impression evidence such as shoe prints and tire prints provide information?

      2.2 How do handwriting and ink evidence help us make inferences?

      2.3 How do fibre and soil evidence help us make inferences?

      2.4 How can you classify fingerprint evidence collected from various surfaces?

  • Footprints allow us to determine the direction and speed someone is travelling.
  • Tire tracks can tells us what kind of vehicle was at the scene.
  • Unique characteristics in handwriting allow us to determine who might have written something.
  • Ink can be analyzed using paper chromatography.
  • Various fibres appear different and react differently to chemicals.
  • Physical and chemical characteristics of soil help us determine where it may have come from.
  • Fingerprints can be classified as arch, whorl, loop, or composite.
  • Each person has a unique fingerprint that allows for identification.