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Hair and Fiber Notes Packet Key

1. Hair is class evidence that can sometimes provide individual evidence through DNA in the follicular tag. The three main parts of hair are the medulla, cortex, and cuticle. 2. Properties of hair pigment that can be compared are color, density, distribution, and granule size. The three stages of hair growth are anagen, catagen, and telogen which are determined by the appearance of the root. 3. There are three main classes of racial origin for hair - Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid - which differ in traits like shaft diameter, configuration, shape of cross-section, and color.

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717 views

Hair and Fiber Notes Packet Key

1. Hair is class evidence that can sometimes provide individual evidence through DNA in the follicular tag. The three main parts of hair are the medulla, cortex, and cuticle. 2. Properties of hair pigment that can be compared are color, density, distribution, and granule size. The three stages of hair growth are anagen, catagen, and telogen which are determined by the appearance of the root. 3. There are three main classes of racial origin for hair - Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid - which differ in traits like shaft diameter, configuration, shape of cross-section, and color.

Uploaded by

brianna nancy
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Name: ________________________________________________ Block: _____ Date: _______________

Unit 5 Notes Packet - Hair and Fiber


1. What type of evidence is hair? Why?
Hair is class evidence. The only possible aspect of hair that makes it individual is the DNA found
in the follicular tag. Hair color is a class characteristic because several people have the same
color hair.

2. Describe the 3 main parts of the hair structure. Draw a diagram of a cross
section of hair showing these parts.

The three main parts are the medulla, cortex, and cuticle. The cortex is like the wooden part of a
pencil. It makes up most of the strand and this is where pigment is found. The medulla is the
inner shaft like the lead of a pencil. It has a variety of structures and sizes. The cuticle is the outer
scale layer and looks different depending on the species.

3. What are 4 properties of hair pigment that can be compared by forensic


scientists? (Include examples of distribution)
The four properties include color, density, distribution, and granule size. Distribution can be one-
sided, central, or random in terms of where the pigment is located.

4. Describe the 3 stages of hair growth as determined by the root. Include a


description of the appearance of the root if applicable.

a. anagen: stage 1: this is the active growth stage. The root is still intact. This stage takes
about 2-6 years.
b. catagen: stage 2: the growth is slowing down and takes about 1-2 weeks.

c. telogen: stage 3: the hair has stopped growing and the root has detached from the follicle
and this is when the hair falls out. This stage takes about 1-3 months.
5. Describe and draw three different appearances of the medulla.
Possible appearances include continuous, fragmented or interrupted, bubbly or cellular, or has a
wafer-like appearance.

6. What is a follicular tag and what can it tell a forensic scientist? What sort of
additional evidence might be extracted from a follicular tag?
A follicular tag is a part of the follicle that could be removed from the scalp connected to the hair.
Inside of the follicular tag is DNA which can identify the person. Also, if the tag is still attached
then this means that the hair was most likely pulled out in an attack.

7. Describe 3 classes of racial origin for hair.


Caucasoid Mongoloid Negroid

What ethnic europe, northern alaska and north sub-saharan


backgrounds africa, india, africa
america, central
does this
western asia and east asia
include?

medium thickness very thick fine to moderate


shaft diameter

configuration
general straight straight, dark color curly, dark color
(curly?
straight?) and medium color i.e. i.e. black i.e. black
color light to medium
brown

oval circular flattened oval


shape of cross-
section
8. Give at least one detail about the appearance of hairs of different somatic (body
part) origin.

a. head
usually the softest hair on the body and the longest
b. limb (arm or leg)
fairly thin, still generally soft
c. facial
rough texture, could have double medulla, irregular cross-section
d. chest
also rough texture, moderate to thick diameter, may have granular medulla
e. auxiliary (underarm)
fairly thin with a fine tip

9. Complete the table with differences between human and animal hair.
Human Animal

generally uniform, not drastic can change abruptly


pigment
changes and form stripes or spots
pattern

thin, roughly 1/3 of strand or less thick, more than half of


medulla the strand

imbricate pattern spinous, coronal, or iso-


cuticle scales diametric

10.Some animals have similar scales, so we look at other hair characteristics to


distinguish between them. What is unique about the following?
a. deer and antelope family
looks like a wine glass with a narrow stem (root)
b. cat hair root
frayed root like a used paint bruch
c. dog hair root
spade shaped i.e. pointed, like a wet paint brush
11.What are the 3 conclusions that can be reached with hair comparisons?
1. The hair could have come from the suspect, but not definitively
2. The hair could not have come from the suspect
3. There is not enough evidence to decide either way

12. What type of evidence is fiber? Why?


Fiber is class evidence since fibers are generally mass produced.

13.What are the 2 main categories of fibers? Give 2 examples of each.


natural - cotton, wool, hemp, silk, kapok, cashmere

synthetic - polyester, rayon, nylon, acetate, acrylic

14.What is the relationship between the terms fiber, yarn, and textiles?
Fiber is the simplest thread which can then be tangled and spun together to make yarn. Textiles
are materials made out of yarn such as clothes.

15.How does the number of fibers found relate to the likelihood of contact between
two items/people?
As the number of fibers increase, so does the likelihood that the two people were in contact.
Wayne Williams was convicted because there was so many different types of fibers that matched
up.

16.How can you distinguish between a natural and a synthetic fiber?


Natural fibers burn as opposed to melt like synthetic fibers. Also, natural fibers are usually more
tangled than the synthetic fibers.

17.How can fibers become individual evidence?


Fibers can become individual evidence if there is skin or DNA on them. Or you can try to match up
the ends of some torn fibers and see if they match up, like lining up the edges of piece of duct
tape with the roll.

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