Chapter 16. Postmortem Changes to Bone.
TRUE/FALSE. Write "T" if the statement is true
1. Postmortem changes to human remains can be due to natural (e.g., weather) or artificial (e.g., human caused) forces.
Answer: True p. 325
2. Dismemberment can be due to both natural (e.g., carnivores) and artificial (e.g., humans) forces.
Answer: True p. 325
3. In cases of dismemberment, accident is the most likely manner of death.
Answer: False p. 326
4. There are a number of different saws that can be used to dismember a human body.
Answer: True p. 327
5. A false start kerf is caused when a saw blade is drawn across a bone without much pressure.
Answer: False p. 327
6. The length breakaway spur may provide a clue as to the width of the saw blade used to cut bone.
Answer: True p. 328
7. The width of a kerf is the same as the width of the saw blade that caused it.
Answer: False p. 329
8. Striations on the cut surface of bone can aid in the determination of blade shape.
Answer: True p. 329
9. Hand saws generally leave cuts in bone with smooth, almost polished walls.
Answer: False p. 331
10. Carnivores can cause punctures, pits, and scoring on human bone.
Answer: True p. 331
11. Carnivore scavenging involves random consumption and dismemberment of human remains.
Answer: False p. 332 – 334
12. There are differences in the pattern of skeletal removal between the carnivore scavenging and human-caused dismemberment.
Answer: True p. 334
13. Although burning can remove a lot of information about the sex, age, race, and other characteristics of a victim, positive identification is still possible.
Answer: True p. 335
14. Bone that has been burned for a long time in a hot fire (e.g., over 800º) will be black in color.
Answer: False p. 336
15. The checkerboard cracking due to fire is fairly distinct, and unlikely to be confused with cracks formed from other forces.
Answer: True p. 336
16. The human skull can explode during burning due to the buildup of steam pressure inside the cranial vault.
Answer: False p. 337
17. Bone shrinkage due to fire can be extensive, and could negatively influence calculations of stature.
Answer: True p. 337
18. Weathering can cause cracking, warping, and flaking of cortical bone.
Answer: True p. 338
19. Weathering can mimic the effects of blunt force trauma as well as obscure its presence.
Answer: True p. 339
20. Burial damage involves bone shrinkage that could negatively influence calculations of stature.
Answer: False p. 340
21. Water transport damage involves bone shrinkage that could negatively influence calculations of stature.
Answer: False p. 341
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
22. Which of the following is a reason to study forensic taphonomy?
A Postmortem damage may appear as perimortem trauma
B Postmortem damage may be misidentified as a health condition
C Postmortem damage may provide information surrounding death of descedent
D All of the above
Answer: D p. 325
23. Which of the following forms of postmortem changes are most likely caused by humans?
A Dismemberments
B Scavenging
C Water transport damage
D Weathering
Answer: A p. 325 – 326
24. Which of the following forms of postmortem changes are most likely caused by carnivores?
A Dismemberments
B Scavenging
C Water transport damage
D Weathering
Answer: B p. 325 – 326
25. Which of the following forms of postmortem changes are most likely caused by exposure to rain and sunshine?
A Dismemberments
B Scavenging
C Water transport damage
D Weathering
Answer: D p. 325 – 326
26. Which of the following steps for analyzing dismemberments is common to all forensic anthropological analyses?
A Photograph cut bone ends
B Removal of 3 inches of bone around cut
C Incise an identification notch in lab bone cut
D Removal of soft tissue
Answer: D p. 326 – 327
27. Which of the following characteristics of saws is most helpful in determining the blade width of a saw used to dismember a human body?
A Type of saw (e.g., crosscut, rip)
B Tooth set
C Saw shape (e.g., straight, circular)
D All of the above
Answer: B p. 327 – 329
28. Which of the following types of saw marks on bone contains the least amount of information about the instrument used in a dismemberment?
A Superficial false start scratches
B False start kerfs
C Sectioned bone cuts
D Breakaway spur
Answer: A p. 326 – 328
29. Which of the following types of saw marks on bone would not contain information on the width of the instrument used in a dismemberment?
A Superficial false start scratches
B False start kerfs
C Sectioned bone cuts
D Breakaway spur
Answer: A p. 326 – 328
30. Which of the following aspects of saws would be of interest to law enforcement agencies in cases of dismemberments?
A Number of teeth
B Blade width
C Blade shape
D All of the above
Answer: D p. 329
31. Which of the following types of saws cause fine, straight striations on a cut bone surface?
A Circular saw with many teeth
B Straight saw with many teeth
C Circular saw with few teeth
D Straight saw with few teeth
Answer: B p. 329 – 330
32. Which of the following types of saws cause coarse, straight striations on a cut bone surface?
A Circular saw with many teeth
B Straight saw with many teeth
C Circular saw with few teeth
D Straight saw with few teeth
Answer: D p. 329 – 330
33. Which of the following postmortem injuries to bone are likely caused by carnivores?
A Punctures
B Pits
C Scoring
D All of the above
Answer: D p. 331
34. Which of the following postmortem injuries to bone are likely caused by carnivores chewing on the ends of bones?
A Punctures
B Pits
C Scoring
D Furrows
Answer: D p. 331
35. Which of the following postmortem injuries to bone caused carnivores is not seen in human dismemberments?
A Removal of the upper limbs
B Removal of anterior portions of the chest
C Removal of the lower limbs
D All of the above
Answer: B p. 334
36. Which of the following postmortem injuries to bone are likely caused by rodents?
A Punctures
B Pits
C Grooves
D Furrows
Answer: C p. 334
37. Fire damage takes which of the following forms?
A Blackening of bone
B Checkerboard fractures
C Concentric fractures
D All of the above
Answer: B p. 335 – 337
38. Which of the following color changes is associated with a low temperature fire?
A Brown
B Dark grey
C Blue
D White
Answer: A p. 336
39. Which of the following results of fire damage is most likely to affect sex and stature calculations?
A Blackening of bone
B Checkerboard fractures
C Bone shrinkage
D Concentric fractures
Answer: C p. 337
40. Which of the following results of fire damage is most likely to be mistaken for being due to blunt trauma?
A Blackening of bone
B Transverse fractures
C Bone shrinkage
D Checkerboard fractures
Answer: B p. 337
41. Which of the following color changes is associated with a high temperature fire?
A Brown
B Black
C Yellow
D White
Answer: D p. 337
42. Which of the following occurs in bone that has been exposed for a considerable length time to weathering?
A Cracking
B Flaking
C Shrinkage
D All of the above
Answer: D p. 338
43. Which of the following forces cause bones to crack?
A Weathering
B Burial
C Fire
D All of the above
Answer: D p. 335 – 340
44. Which of the following phases of water transport causes damage to the body?
A First, when body sinks to bottom of body of water
B Second, when body floats to surface
C Third, when individual bones are moved
D All of the above
Answer: D p. 341 – 342
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