Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CFC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Bloodstain Pattern Analysis flashcards as text
What term describes bloodstains produced when blood falls into existing wet blood at a scene?
Answer: Secondary spatter
Secondary spatter occurs when a blood source (such as pooled blood) is struck or disturbed, producing additional droplets from the existing wet blood.
A 'parent stain' in bloodstain pattern analysis refers to:
Answer: The blood source from which satellite spatter originated
The parent stain is the original bloodstain from which satellite droplets are projected upon impact.
Which bloodstain pattern is most consistent with a victim who received blows while lying on the ground?
Answer: Low-velocity impact spatter directly beneath the source
A victim lying on the ground being struck would produce low-velocity impact spatter distributed directly beneath and around the wound site.
In BPA, what does the 'area of convergence' represent?
Answer: The 2D location on a surface where spatter originated
The area of convergence is the two-dimensional region on a surface (such as a floor) where the trajectories of individual bloodstains intersect, indicating the general origin of the spatter.
A bloodstain with a width-to-length ratio close to 1:1 (nearly circular) was most likely deposited at what angle?
Answer: Near 90 degrees
A nearly circular stain indicates the droplet struck the surface at close to 90 degrees (perpendicular), as the sine of 90° equals 1, producing a circular shape.
What type of pattern results from blood being projected under pressure from an arterial wound?
Answer: Arterial spurting pattern
An arterial spurting pattern shows rhythmic, arc-shaped stains consistent with the pulsatile pressure of blood ejected from a severed artery.
Which characteristic most reliably distinguishes expirated blood spatter from impact spatter?
Answer: Presence of mucus, bubbles, or dilution from respiratory fluids
Expirated blood often contains air bubbles, mucus, or dilution from saliva/respiratory fluids, distinguishing it microscopically and visually from impact spatter.