The Assignment
This assignment was to solve a murder using evidence from crime scenes and forensic science. Forensic science is the science behind solving crime scenes and identifying suspects. We used forensic science to analyze fingerprints, karyotypes, DNA, blood tests, pedigrees, and ink chromatography. All of these types of evidence were used to put Nancy Normal behind bars.
Background
Carleton Comet had invited 5 people out to a picnic, where the sky darkened, and Comet was murdered with a large knife. On the scene, fingerprints were lifted, blood was found, a hair sample was found, and a note addressing Comet saying "You are a dead man" was also found. These pieces of evidence are studied and explained in the slideshow below:
Content
Key Terms
Forensic Science: the application of science to criminal and civil laws during a crime investigation. The solving of Carlton Comet's killer used forensic science.
Karyotypes: the number and visual appearance of the chromosomes in an organism. Each suspect's karyotypes were recorded and the chromosomal disorders were studied off each person.
Chromatography: using an alcohol to determine the Rf factor of an ink source. We used this to determine that the pen belonged to Nancy Normal.
DNA Fingerprinting: A technique used to find the links of DNA that are based off size, and match it with family members or crime scenes. This was one process we used to find the fingerprinting on crime scene 1 and 2.
Pedigree: a large family tree that shows all the carriers, affected, and unaffected of inherited diseases. We found the pedigrees of each suspect to find their diseases and how they were all related.
Genotype: genetic makeup of an organism. Having an AA type blood, like Nancy normal did.
Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism. Having brown eyes or blue eyes.
Polygenic: when something is controlled by two or more genes. Most traits are polygenic, like hair and eye color.
Dominant: the main part of a trait that controls or overrides other genes- if it is preset then the trait is expressed. Brown eyes are dominant over green and blue.
Co dominant: two fully expressed alleles in a gene pair. Striped fur is co dominant in animals.
Incomplete dominance: situation in which one allele is not completely dominant over the other. Animals with a mix of black and white making a grey colored fur.
Recessive: the "weaker" trait that needs two of the same trait to show. Blue eyes are recessive traits.
Alleles: one of a number of different forms of a gene. Alleles are what determine your traits.
Gene: sequences of DNA that codes for a protein that determines a trait. Your genes can code for light brown hair or dark brown hair based off your genetics.
Segregation: separation of alleles during gamete formation. These split and change up your alleles.
Probability: likelihood that a particular event will occur. If both your parents have curly hair, the probability of having straight hair is less likely.
Homozygous: term used to refer to an organism that has two identical alleles for a particular trait. Having a Bb gene set for a certain trait.
Heterozygous: term used to refer to an organism that has two different alleles for the same trait. Having Bg for one allele in eye color.
Karyotypes: the number and visual appearance of the chromosomes in an organism. Each suspect's karyotypes were recorded and the chromosomal disorders were studied off each person.
Chromatography: using an alcohol to determine the Rf factor of an ink source. We used this to determine that the pen belonged to Nancy Normal.
DNA Fingerprinting: A technique used to find the links of DNA that are based off size, and match it with family members or crime scenes. This was one process we used to find the fingerprinting on crime scene 1 and 2.
Pedigree: a large family tree that shows all the carriers, affected, and unaffected of inherited diseases. We found the pedigrees of each suspect to find their diseases and how they were all related.
Genotype: genetic makeup of an organism. Having an AA type blood, like Nancy normal did.
Phenotype: physical characteristics of an organism. Having brown eyes or blue eyes.
Polygenic: when something is controlled by two or more genes. Most traits are polygenic, like hair and eye color.
Dominant: the main part of a trait that controls or overrides other genes- if it is preset then the trait is expressed. Brown eyes are dominant over green and blue.
Co dominant: two fully expressed alleles in a gene pair. Striped fur is co dominant in animals.
Incomplete dominance: situation in which one allele is not completely dominant over the other. Animals with a mix of black and white making a grey colored fur.
Recessive: the "weaker" trait that needs two of the same trait to show. Blue eyes are recessive traits.
Alleles: one of a number of different forms of a gene. Alleles are what determine your traits.
Gene: sequences of DNA that codes for a protein that determines a trait. Your genes can code for light brown hair or dark brown hair based off your genetics.
Segregation: separation of alleles during gamete formation. These split and change up your alleles.
Probability: likelihood that a particular event will occur. If both your parents have curly hair, the probability of having straight hair is less likely.
Homozygous: term used to refer to an organism that has two identical alleles for a particular trait. Having a Bb gene set for a certain trait.
Heterozygous: term used to refer to an organism that has two different alleles for the same trait. Having Bg for one allele in eye color.
Reflection
This project was very interesting to complete because we were solving a murder mystery. We had many suspects that it could be which made it a difficult task to put the right one behind bars. There were many pieces of evidence to analyze and a lot of hard work was put into the calculations of each one.
Some pieces of evidence had slightly skewed numbers, so for next time I would be a little bit more careful and accurate with analyzing the evidence. Managing time efficiently was also an issue. Towards the end of the project deadline we were rushed to finish the presentation because we had to redo a couple of the evidence experiments.
Overall our project was a success and our group worked perfectly together.
Some pieces of evidence had slightly skewed numbers, so for next time I would be a little bit more careful and accurate with analyzing the evidence. Managing time efficiently was also an issue. Towards the end of the project deadline we were rushed to finish the presentation because we had to redo a couple of the evidence experiments.
Overall our project was a success and our group worked perfectly together.