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Listed below are terms which appear in italics throughout
the site. Most words will be quite understandable
to the majority of the mature audience, but for the
convenience of those who aren't familiar with such
forensic terms, here they are:
Definition references: Delbridge A et. al.
Macquarie Dictionary: Revised Third Edition. 1997.
Macquarie Press. Sydney.
Also, the definition facility in Google
search.
- A -
B - C
- D - E
- F - G
- H - I
- J - K - L - M
- N - O
- P - Q - R
- S - T
- U - V
- W
- X - Y - Z
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A
Acetone - A colourless, highly flammable chemical
compound (CH3)2CO used as an organic solvent, an ingredient
in many lacquer thinner compounds and adhering liquids;
used to remove lacquer adhered knife-cut stencils
and lacquer type blockout from screen fabrics.
Adenine - A purine base, C5H5N5, present in
all living cells, mainly as a subunit of nucleic acids.
Algae - Simple rootless plants that grow in
sunlit waters in relative proportion to the amounts
of nutrients available. They are food for fish and
small aquatic animals.
Alias - A name that an entity uses in place
of its real name, usually for the purpose of either
anonymity or deception.
Alkali metal - Any of the monovalent metals
of group I of the periodic table (lithium or sodium
or potassium or rubidium or cesium or francium); "the
hydroxides of the alkali metals are strongly alkaline".
Amplitude - Greatness of magnitude, maximum
displacement from the equilibrium of a periodic wave.
Annihilation - The act of destroying something.
Anthropologist - A social scientist who specializes
in anthropology - the study of bones.
Antibodies - A class of proteins (known as
immunoglobulins) formed in the body in response to
the presence of antigens (foreign proteins and other
compounds), which bind to the antigen, inactivating
it.
Antigens - Foreign substances in the body that
are capable of causing disease. The presence of antigens
in the body triggers an immune response, usually the
production of antibodies. Antigens may be soluble
substances, such as toxins and foreign proteins, or
particulate, such as bacteria and tissue cells; however
only the portion of the protein of polysaccharide
molecule known as the antigenic determinant combines
with antibody or a specific receptor on a lymphocyte.
Arson - The intentional and unlawful burning
of a building or other property.
Arthritis - A medical condition affecting
a joint or joints, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that can
result in weakness, loss of mobility, and eventual
destruction and deformity of the joints. Osteoarthritis
(also called degenerative joint disease) usually affects
people after middle age and is characterized by gradual
loss of cartilage of the joints.
Asphyxiation - A medical term for suffocation,
which leads to lack of oxygen in the blood.
Asymmetric - Not similar in size, shape, form
or arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a line,
point or plane.
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B
Beryllium Oxide - (BeO) a poisonous ionic
chemical substance used as an electrical insulator.
Bile - A digestive fluid made by the liver
and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.
Biodegradable - Such materials are any organic
substances that can be broken down by microorganisms
into simpler, more stable compounds. Most organic
waste such as foods, paper, etc are biodegradable.
Bits - The smallest unit of information used
on a computer. Bits have a single binary value either
0 or 1.
Botanist - One who studies the science of
plants.
Bridge - A denture anchored to teeth on either
side of missing teeth.
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C
Canvas - Strong heavy cloth made from cotton,
hemp or flax used with clothing, bags, paintings and
curtains.
Cap - Crownwork: dental appliance consisting
of an artificial crown for a tooth.
Carbon dioxide - A colourless, odourless gas
that occurs naturally in the Earth's atmosphere. Significant
quantities are also emitted into the air by fossil
fuel combustion and deforestation. It is a greenhouse
gas of major concern in the study of global warming.
It is estimated that the amount in the air is increasing
by 0.27% annually.
Carbon monoxide - A colourless, odourless, very
toxic gas made up of carbon and oxygen, that burns
to carbon dioxide with a blue flame and is formed
as a product of the incomplete combustion of carbon.
Carcinogenic - Cancer causing.
Cartridge case - A cylindrical case of pasteboard,
metal or the like, for holding a complete charge of
powder, and often, also the bullet for a rifle, machine
gun or small arm.
Catalyst - A substance that increases the
rate of a chemical reaction, without being consumed
or produced by the reaction. Enzymes are catalysts
for many biochemical reactions.
Charge - A quantity of explosive to be set
off at one time.
Chloroform - A substance used as an intermediate
in the production of refrigerants, agrochemicals and
fluoropolymers, produced mainly by the chlorination
of methane. It is no longer used as an anaesthetic.
Choline - A B-fatty acid involved in the production
of neurotransmitters in the brain that regulates mood,
appetite, behavior, memory, etc. Most effective in
phosphatidyl choline form. It is believed to help
concentration and alertness. Studies indicate that
it improves cognitive performance. Blood levels of
choline decrease during prolonged exercise.
Chromatography - Chromatography is a method
for separating mixtures based on differences in the
speed at which they migrate over or through a stationary
phase.
Chronological - Arranged in the order in which
events happened; according to date.
Collarbone - Clavicle: the bone linking the
scapula and sternum.
Composite - An image of a face made up from
separate facial parts.
Coroner - A public official who investigates
by inquest any death not due to natural causes.
Crown - An enamel cover (on teeth).
Cyanide - A chemical compound comprised of
carbon and nitrogen. Cyanide is water-soluble and
is used in ore processing solutions to extract gold
from crushed rock.
Cytosine - A pyrimidine base, C4H5N3O, present
in living cells, mainly in combined form, as in nucleic
acids.
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D
Deception - The act of deceiving.
Decode - To convert a coded message into understandable
form using ordinary language.
Defuse - To remove the triggering device from
(a weapon).
Diagnosis - To process of testing to identify
other problems.
Digestion - The act or process by which food
is digested i.e. prepared for use by the body in the
stomach and intestines.
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E
Electrocution - Death brought about by electricity.
Electroencephalograph - A machine that measures
the electrical activity of the brain and transfers
the information gathered to a report. Used as a diagnostic
tool.
Electrophesis - A method of separating large
molecules (such as DNA fragments or proteins) from
a mixture of similar molecules. An electric current
is passed through a medium containing the mixture,
and each kind of molecule travels through the medium
at a different rate, depending on its electrical charge
and size. Separation is based on these differences.
Agarose and acrylamide gels are the media commonly
used for electrophoresis of proteins and nucleic acids.
Embezzlement - The fraudulent use of money
or property which has been entrusted to one's care.
Encode - To convert plain text into a different
form by means of a code.
Endothermic - Referring to a process that
absorbs energy.
Enzyme - A protein that accelerates the rate
of chemical reactions. Enzymes are catalysts that
promote reactions repeatedly, without being damaged
by the reactions.
Equilibrium - A balance: equality of distribution.
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F
Femur - Also called the thighbone, is the
long bone between the hip and the knee.
Fibre - A fine, threadlike piece; matter made
from such threads.
Filling - A dental appliance consisting of
any of various substances (as metal or plastic) inserted
into a prepared cavity in a tooth; "when he yawned
I could see the gold fillings in his teeth";
"an informal British term for `filling' is `stopping'.
Firing pin - A plunger in the firing mechanism
of a gun that strikes the primer and thus ignites
the propelling charge of a projectile.
Fluorescein - An orange-red water-soluble
compound, C20H12O5 whose solutions in alkalis produce
an orange colour and a green fluorescence. It is used
an indicator and in dyes.
Fluorescent - A bright vivid colour that glows
under a black light.
Forensic medicine - A branch of medical science
that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes.
Formaldehyde - A pungent gas; in liquid form,
it is used as an antiseptic, disinfectant and fixative
for tissues.
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G
Gas chromatographs - Diagrams representing
the different speeds of various constituents in a
substance, as they travel through a non-reactive gas.
Generalisation - The process of making statements
about the general population on the basis of relevant
research.
Glycerol - A three-carbon substance that forms
the backbone of fatty acids in fats. Is a lubricant
but has found little because of its tendency to rapidly
absorb moisture.
Gravity - The force of attraction that causes
objects to fall toward the centre of the earth.
Guanine - A purine base, C5H5N5O, present
in all living cells, mainly in combined form, as in
nucleic acids.
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H
Habit - An established custom.
Haemoglobin - A haem protein responsible the
red colouring of blood and for the transport of oxygen
to the tissues.
Haemorrhage - To bleed severely.
Hard disk - A fast, high-capacity magnetic
disk, completely enclosed in a protective case inside
the computer, used for storing computer data.
Hologram - A laser-created photograph that
creates a three-dimensional image; used as an anti-counterfeiting
measure on bankcards.
Human genome - The complete set of human genes
- approximately 100,000 total - which together contain
information covering every aspect of human physical
development and function.
Hydrocarbons - Organic chemical compounds
of hydrogen and carbon atoms that form the basis of
all petroleum products, they may exist as solids,
liquids or gases.
Hyoid - A U-shaped bone at the base of the
tongue that supports the tongue muscles.
Hypostasis - The pooling of blood as it accumulates
at the lowest parts of the body, being pulled down
by gravity; is a method of determining the position
of the body at/after death.
Hypothermia - This situation occurs when the
core temperature of one's body falls below normal.
It is the failure of the body to maintain adequate
production of heat under conditions of extreme cold.
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I
Immunoassay -A test using antibodies to identify
and quantify substances. Often the antibody is linked
to a marker such as a fluorescent molecule, a radioactive
molecule, or an enzyme.
Indent - A notch or dent left on paper due
to the force from the tip of a pen when writing.
Infrared - Light that is so red humans cannot
see it. A band of the electromagnetic spectrum between
the visible and the microwave. Photons of infrared
light are less energetic than photons of visible light.
Infrared spectroscopy (IR Spectroscopy)- A
type of spectroscopy that uses the infrared portion
of the electromagnetic spectrum. The infrared part
of the electromagnetic spectrum; electromagnetic wave
frequencies below the visible range.
IP address - The numeric address of a computer
on the Internet. An IP address is written as a set
of four numbers separated by periods (each number
can range from 0 to 255). An example of an IP address
is 123.123.4.5.
Iris - The contractile circular diaphragm
forming the coloured portion of the eye and containing
a circular opening (the pupil) in its centre.
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L
Lacerations - Anything that has been torn
roughly for example - a rough cut.
Larvae - The young of any insect which goes
through metamorphosis (changes in body structure)
before becoming an adult.
Larynx - An irregularly shaped, musculocartilaginous
tubular structure lined with mucous membrane, located
at the top of the trachea and below the root of the
tongue and the hyoid bone. It is the essential sphincter
guarding the entrance into the trachea and functioning
secondarily as the organ of voice.
Laser - Laser is the acronym of Light Amplification
by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A device for
producing a coherent, monochromatic, high intensity
beam of radiation of a frequency within, or near to,
the range of visible light.
Luminal spray - A substance used to enhance
fingerprints.
Luminescence - Emission of light by chemical
or electrical means.
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M
Maggots - The larvae of flies and other insects
that live on rotting food.
Magnetic field - All magnetic fields are created
by moving electric charge. The single moving electron
around a nucleus is a tiny electric current. These
orbiting electrons create magnetic fields and their
net effect is to provide the atom with a magnetic
field. Magnetic fields are historically described
in terms of their effect on electric charges. A moving
electric charge, such as an electron, will accelerate
in the presence of a magnetic field, causing it to
change velocity and its direction of travel. An electrically
charged particle moving in a magnetic field will experience
a force (known as the Lorentz force) pushing it in
a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field and
the direction of motion. Also called magnetic flux.
Manufactured - Made by hand or machinery,
especially on a large scale.
Mass spectrometers - An instrument used to
both measure and analyse molecules under study. The
process involves introducing enough energy into a
target molecule to cause its ionisation and disintegration.
The resulting fragments are then analyzed, based on
the mass to charge ratio and produces a "molecular
fingerprint."
Mass spectrometry - This technique can be
used to both measure and analyze molecules under study.
It involves introducing enough energy into a target
molecule to cause its ionization and disintegration.
The resulting fragments are then analyzed, based on
the mass/ charge ratio to produce a "molecular
fingerprint."
Mitochondrial - Of or relating to mitochondrions,
one of the tiny granules (grains; particles), present
in living cells, regarded as responsible for respiration
and energy production.
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N
Naked eye - The eye, unaided by any optical
instrument that alters the power of vision or alters
the apparent size or distance of objects; "it
is not safe to look directly at the sun with the naked
eye".
Natural radiation - Radiation that is always
present in the environment from such sources as cosmic
rays and radioactive materials in rocks and soils.
Also known as background radiation.
Nitrogen - Nitrogen is a gaseous element that
occurs in air (78% of air volume). It is an essential
component of proteins and nucleic acids in living
organisms.
Noble gas - Any of a group of rare gases that
include helium, xenon, and sometimes radon and that
exhibit great stability and extremely low reaction
rates. They are often referred to as inert gases.
Nucleus - A part of the cell containing DNA
and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction.
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O
Occiput - Rear portion of crown. In picture
it is referred to as the hindhead.
Odontologist - One who practices the science
of teeth.
Oesophagus - A tube connecting the back of
the mouth to the stomach; a part of the digestive
system.
Optical - Optical means something that pertains
or is designed to assist sight; pertaining to or using
light.
Ossification (osteogenesis)- A three-stage
process by which bone is formed. The first step is
the formation of a mesh of collagen fibers. Next,
the body produces a "cement" substance (polysaccharide).
Finally, small crystals of calcium salts are deposited
into the cement to form bone.
Oxidation - The process of oxidizing; the
addition of oxygen to a compound with a loss of electrons;
always occurs accompanied by reduction.
Oxygen - A colourless, odourless gas that
makes up about 20 percent of the air we breathe; it
is essential to life because it is used for the chemical
reactions that occur in the cells of the body.
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P
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) - A method
for amplifying a DNA base sequence using a heat stable
polymerase and two 20-base primers, one complementary
to the (+) strand at one end of the sequence to be
amplified and the other complementary to the (-) strand
at the other end. Because the newly synthesized DNA
strands can subsequently serve as additional templates
for the same primer sequences, successive rounds of
primer annealing, strand elongation, and dissociation
produce rapid and highly specific amplification of
the desired sequence. PCR also can be used to detect
the existence of the defined sequence in a DNA sample.
Peroxidase - Any of a group of enzymes (occurring
especially in plant cells) that catalyse the oxidation
of a compound by a peroxide.
Perpendicular - Vertical or upright.
Petty crime - A small crime such as minor
theft, trespassing etc.
pH level - A measure of acidity or alkalinity
as of soil, water etc. on a scale running from 1 (extreme
acidity) to 14 (extreme alkalinity), equal to the
negative logarithm of the concentration of the negative
logarithm of the hydrogen ion in gram atoms per litre.
So a pH of 5 indicates a concentration of 10-5 gram
atoms of hydrogen in one litre.
Phenol - A highly poisonous, caustic crystalline
chemical compound derived from coal tar or plant tar
or manufactured synthetically. It has a distinctive,
pungent odour and, in solution, is a powerful disinfectant.
Phonetics - The study of the production, transmission,
and reception of speech sounds.
Phosphatase - Any of numerous enzymes that
catalyse the hydrolysis of esters of phosphoric acid
and are important in the absorption and metabolism
of carbohydrates, nucleotides, and phospholipids and
in the calcification of bone.
Pigment - Organic substance found in plant
and animal cells that creates colouring.
Pneumographs - Rubber tubes filled with air.
Polygraph - A medical instrument that records
several physiological processes simultaneously (e.g.
pulse rate and blood pressure and respiration and
perspiration).
Polymer - A natural or synthetic compound
of high molecular weight composed of long chains of
repeating units, each relatively light and simple.
Prosecutor - The lawyer that represents the
government.
Protocol - A set of formal rules describing
how to transmit data, especially across a network.
Low-level protocols define the electrical and physical
standards to be observed, bit- and byte-ordering and
the transmission and error detection and correction
of the bit stream. High-level protocols deal with
the data formatting, including the syntax of messages,
the terminal-to-computer dialog, character sets, and
sequencing of messages.
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R
Radius - The outer and slightly shorter of
the two bones of the human forearm.
Ransom - An exchange or buy back for money;
under threat.
Refractive index - A measure of the degree
through which light is refracted when passing through
a particular material compared to a vacuum.
Residue - Matter that remains after something
has been removed.
RH Factor - Any of one or more genetically
determined antigens usu. present in the red blood
cells of humans and higher animals and capable of
inducing intense immunogenic reactions -called also
rhesus factor.
Ridge - A long narrow natural elevation or
striation.
Rigor mortis - The stiffening of the body
muscles after death.
Ritual - Stereotyped behaviour.
Root canal - Also called endodontic treatment,
it is the cleaning out the inside nerve of a tooth
that is heavily decayed, and replacing it with a material
seals the inside of the root so infection cannot get
back in.
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S
Scanning electronic microscope - A microscope
that uses electrons instead of light to create an
image of higher magnifications than with a light microscope.
Seminal (acid) - Pertaining to or containing
or consisting of semen; "seminal fluid".
Serrated - Containing sharply pointed teeth.
Server - A computer system or program that
provides service across a network. The service may
be file access, login access, file transfer, printing
and so on.
Solvents - Liquids, usually petroleum based,
that can dissolve solids and keep them in solution.
May contribute to pollution through evaporation.
Spectroscope - An instrument that separates
light into it's different wavelengths. It is the instrument
that permits us to identify the elements in a particular
light source.
Sphygmomanometer - An instrument used to measure
blood pressure.
Spina Bifida - A condition in which the spinal
cord does not close over the nerve column during the
prenatal period. The amount of the spinal column that
remains open determines how many nerves will be affected.
It may involve loss of sensation and severe muscle
weakness in the lower part of the body. This condition
is often associated with an abnormal buildup of pressure
of spinal fluid in the brain which can produce retardation
unless it is surgically treated.
Spleen - A highly vascular, glandlike but
ductless organ, situated in humans near the cardiac
end of the stomach, in which the blood undergoes certain
corpuscular changes.
Stippling - This is a method of paint application
where the artist applies a series of dots by dabbing
with the end of the brush, which is held at right
angles to the picture surface.
Strangulation - The condition of having respiration
stopped by compression of the air passage.
Subconscious - Subconscious mind: psychic
activity just below the level of awareness.
Swap file - A disk file or partition used
to temporarily store information when system memory
runs low.
Symmetric - Having similarity in size, shape,
and relative position of corresponding parts.
Synthetic - Man-made, rather than occurring
naturally.
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T
Thermo luminescence - Luminescence produced
by heat.
Thin-layer chromatography - A chromatographic
procedure used to identify drugs of abuse in urine
using a thin layer of material such as silicon as
a carrier. The separated substances are dyed, and
the resultant colour and migration patterns are used
to identify the drugs in question.
Thymine - A white crystalline pyrimidine base,
C5H6N2O2 which occurs in DNA and is one of the four
main units upon which the genetic code is based.
Tissue - A part of an organism consisting
of an aggregate of cells having a similar structure
and function.
Tomography - The technique of obtaining an
X-ray picture of a selected layer in an object.
Trauma - A physical injury or wound caused
by an external force of violence, which may cause
death or permanent disability. Trauma is also used
to describe severe emotional or psychological shock
or distress.
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U
Ultraviolet - Of or relating to the range
of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers,
on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers,
just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.
Ultraviolet light - Radiation lying in the
ultraviolet range; wave lengths shorter than light
but longer than X rays.
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V
Vagus nerve - Either of two cranial nerves
extending through neck into thorax and the upper part
of the abdomen - a pneumogastric nerve.
Vasectomy - Surgical procedure that removes
all or part of the vas deferens (usually as a means
of sterilization); is sometimes reversible.
Verdict - The finding or answer given to the
court by the jury.
Vertebrae - One or twenty-four moveable segments
of the human spinal column. Two vertebrae adjacent
to each other form a motor unit.
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W
Watermark - A translucent name or design molded
into the paper during the manufacturing process, usually
in the border area; more visible when held up to a
light.
Wisdom teeth - The third molar teeth, the
last in each quadrant.
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X
X-rays - Invisible, highly penetrating electromagnetic
radiation of a much shorter wavelength than visible
light, discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm C. Roentgen.
Most applications of X rays are based on their ability
to pass through matter. They are dangerous in that
they can destroy living tissue, causing severe skin
burns on human flesh exposed for too long a time.
This property is applied in x-ray therapy to destroy
diseased cells. See Ionising radiation.
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