ASM 275 Forensic Anthropology Q&A, is a comprehensive study guide that covers essential topics in forensic anthropology, including skeletal identification, trauma analysis, and the collaboration between forensic anthropologists and pathologists. It features 20 diverse questions, ranging from multip...
1. What is the primary role of a forensic anthropologist?
a) Identify the cause of death
b) Determine the age of an individual
c) Analyze skeletal remains to assist in identification and legal investigations
d) Perform autopsies
Answer: c) Analyze skeletal remains to assist in identification and legal investigations
2. Which of the following bones is most commonly used for determining a person’s age at death?
a) Femur
b) Skull
c) Humerus
d) Pelvis
Answer: b) Skull
3. What is the term for the process by which bones are examined for trauma in forensic anthropology?
a) Osteology
b) Taphonomy
c) Forensic pathology
d) Bone trauma analysis
Answer: a) Osteology
4. Which of the following is the most reliable for determining the sex of skeletal remains?
a) Pelvis
b) Femur
, c) Skull
d) Vertebrae
Answer: a) Pelvis
5. What does the term "taphonomy" refer to in forensic anthropology?
a) The study of bone diseases
b) The process of decomposition and preservation of remains
c) The study of skeletal trauma patterns
d) The process of identifying DNA from skeletal remains
Answer: b) The process of decomposition and preservation of remains
6. What are the main factors forensic anthropologists use to estimate the age of skeletal remains?
Answer: Forensic anthropologists estimate age by examining the stages of bone development, fusion of
growth plates, and wear patterns on teeth and joints.
7. How can forensic anthropologists estimate the ancestry of skeletal remains?
Answer: Forensic anthropologists estimate ancestry by analyzing characteristics of the skull, such as the
shape of the nasal cavity, the structure of the jaw, and overall cranial features that differ among
populations.
8. What are the key skeletal differences between male and female pelvises?
Answer: The female pelvis is wider, with a broader and more circular pelvic inlet, and the sacrum is
shorter and less curved, allowing for childbirth. The male pelvis is narrower with a more heart-shaped
pelvic inlet, and the sacrum is longer and more curved.
9. Describe how the condition of teeth can assist in determining the age of an individual.
Answer: The condition of teeth, such as the eruption of permanent teeth and the wear patterns on
molars, can help estimate age, especially in younger individuals. In older adults, dental wear and the
degree of root resorption can also provide age estimates.
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