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solving crimes with physics
A proper analysis of blood-spatter patterns can yield a surprising
amount of information about the crime. Among the easily identi-
fied facts that can be determined by examining blood-spatter pat-
terns are the positions of the victim, assailant, and objects at the
scene. In addition, the type of weapon used to cause the spatter
can sometimes be determined by looking at the wound and the
sorts of spatter present. Multiple spatters can indicate the number
of blows, shots, stabs, or other attacks that occurred. The move-
ment and direction of victim and assailant after bloodshed began
is usually readily apparent. Among the most crucial evidence is the
ability to determine what events occurred and in what sequence
they occurred. This can be vital to a prosecution.
More Than Just a
Gun Fingerprint
Understanding the physics of gunfire and bullet paths is valuable knowl-
edge for a forensic firearms examiner. Most shooters use physics when
they fire their guns, even if they don’t understand the science behind it.
The study of movements and forces involved in the propulsion of objects
through the air is known as
ballistics
. Everyone knows that bullets will
fall to the ground eventually as they travel away from the gun—a phenom-
enon known as bullet drop. The rapid burning of the gunpowder in the
cartridge provides the energy necessary to fire the bullet. The farther from
