BIO 12 - Quartz Hill High Hair and Fiber – Reading Guide

BIO 12 - Quartz Hill High Hair and Fiber – Reading Guide Chapter 5: Hair and Fiber – Reading Guide Name: Alyssa Rivera 1. A review of the forensic aspects of hair examination must start with the observation that it is often difficult to individualize a human hair to a single head or body. 2. If hair is properly collected at a crime scene and accompanied by an adequate number of control hairs, it can provide strong corroborative evidence for placing an individual at a crime site. 3. Label the diagram of the skin and hair cross section: A. Cuticle B. Cortex C. Follicle D. Root 4. Hair is an appendage of the skin that grows out of a structure known as the hair follicle. The length of a hair extends from the root embedded in the follicle, continues into a shaft, and terminates at the tip. The shaft itself, which is composed of cuticle, cortex, and medulla, is subjected to the most intense examination by the forensic scientist. Most hair observations, with the exception of the cuticle, can be performed with a simple microscope. 5. Describe two features that make hair a good subject for establishing individual identity. - Its resistance to chemical decomposition and its ability to retain structural features over a long period of time 6. What is the cuticle and how is it formed? - The cuticle is on the outside covering the hair and is formed by overlapping scales that point towards the tip of the hair 7. Describe how to make a mold of the cuticle. - To make a mold of a cuticle, you can place clear fingernail polish or soft vinyl on a slide then laying hair on top of the polish 8. Describe the cortex: