Unit 7 Forensic Science Text Questions PDF

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Download Unit 7 Forensic Science Text Questions PDF

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Student Name Anosha Zahid Unit 7: Forensic Science Text Questions Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why do you think DNA has had such an impact on forensic science? DNA has had such an impact on forensic science because it is unique and it can be linked to a specific person by which we can find the suspect who committed the crime. 2. What do you think would be some of the challenges in collecting DNA evidence? How would you overcome these challenges? Due to the nature of DNA evidence, it is extremely important to collect and preserve it carefully. Contamination of the sample is a serious threat, which increases with the number of people handling the evidence. Since DNA evidence is so delicate, chain of custody is important. Without chain of custody, forensic scientists may not be able to determine who or what contaminated a sample of DNA evidence. I would overcome these challenges by observing proper procedures for storing DNA evidence before testing. DNA may degrade in direct sunlight or in hot conditions. So for this reason, I would not store DNA evidence in the trunk of a car. I would store Biological samples, such as blood stains on clothing, in paper containers to keep them well-ventilated. Storing biological evidence in airtight containers or in plastic can encourage the growth of mold or bacteria, so I will avoid this. At the laboratory, I will store the biological samples in a refrigerated or in a cool location to prevent the DNA from degrading. 3. Compare and contrast nuclear DNA with mitochondrial DNA. Which one would you want to use in a criminal investigation if you had the choice? I would choose the nuclear DNA to use in a criminal investigation. The mitochondrial DNA is not a valid option this is because mitochondrial DNA is shared by everyone connected in a matrilineal lineage. In other words, siblings will have the same mitochondrial DNA as their mother. It is also more time-consuming and expensive to test mitochondrial DNA than it is to test nuclear DNA. As a result, fewer laboratories are equipped to handle mitochondrial DNA testing. Because of this it would be difficult to find the guilty person. The nuclear DNA is more complex but it can be handled in many different ways making it easier to identify the suspect.

4. Which of the DNA typing techniques do you think you would choose if you had to analyze a DNA sample? Why? The DNA typing technique i would choose if i had to analyze a DNA sample would be polymerase chain reaction or PCR. PCR is relatively inexpensive, which makes it useful for crime investigation. PCR has opened up new avenues for forensic scientists because it allows even a small sample of DNA from a crime scene to be amplified through replication, and tested in a variety of different ways. The small sample size needed for PCR analysis makes the procedure more useful than RFLP or Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism.

5. What challenges do you think giving expert testimony about DNA would have? How would you try to overcome these challenges? I think one of the challenges in giving expert testimony about DNA is that the DNA could be contaminated or there could be errors in the replication process. I would try to overcome these challenges by making sure to be more cautious during the replication process to make sure that there is no room for contamination and error....