Forensic Anthropology Questions Set-4
Question 1. Which skeletal measurement typically provides the most accurate estimate of adult stature, and what is its primary limitation?
A) Humeral length — limited due to high sexual dimorphism
B) Femoral length — limited by population-specific regression equations
C) Tibial length — limited by measurement error due to bone curvature
D) Combined arm length — limited by joint disarticulation at recovery
Answer & Explanation:
B) Femoral length
It’s the gold standard due to its strong correlation with overall body height. The limitation lies in the necessity of population-specific regression formulas; applying equations derived from one demographic (e.g., European) to another (e.g., South Asian) can introduce significant error.
Question 2. The Heel-Ball Index is a novel forensic metric developed in India. It helps in determining sex from footprint measurements by comparing which two foot dimensions?
A) Heel breadth and ball breadth
B) Heel circumference and arch height
C) Heel length and foot length
D) Ball width and instep height
Answer & Explanation:
A) Heel breadth and ball breadth
The Heel-Ball Index, developed by Kewal Krishan, uses these two measurements to exploit sexual dimorphism in foot morphology. This population-specific index demonstrates how anthropological research can lead to innovative forensic tools.
Question 3. FORDISC software is frequently used in forensic anthropology for biological profiling. Its major drawback is:
A) Strong population bias due to reliance on modern reference data
B) Inability to process fragmented bones
C) High cost limiting its use in resource-poor settings
D) Lack of validation by the anthropological community
Answer & Explanation:
A) Strong population bias due to reliance on modern reference data.
While FORDISC can estimate sex, ancestry, and stature using discriminant analysis, its accuracy suffers when applied to skeletal remains from populations not represented in its reference datasets, particularly historic or indigenous groups.
Question.4 In assessing a living individual’s age (e.g., for unaccompanied asylum seekers), which radiographic method is most commonly used followed by dental evaluation as per international guidelines?
A) Greulich and Pyle atlas; followed by Demirjian’s 8‑teeth method
B) Tanner-Whitehouse wrist scoring; followed by Schulman dental index
C) Hand dynamometry; followed by tooth eruption chart
D) Greulich and Pyle atlas; followed by tooth attrition analysis
Answer & Explanation:
A) Greulich and Pyle atlas; followed by Demirjian’s 8‑teeth method.
The three-step AGFAD protocol includes physical exam, hand/wrist radiographs compared with the Greulich and Pyle atlas, then dental assessment using Demirjian's method for age estimation in living individuals.
Question 5. What is the primary distinction between forensic archaeology and forensic anthropology when recovering human remains at a crime scene?
A) Archaeology focuses on excavation techniques; anthropology focuses on skeletal analysis
B) Anthropology handles only ancient remains; archaeology handles modern ones
C) Anthropology includes artifact recovery; archaeology does not
D) Archaeology uses radiographs; anthropology uses histology
Answer & Explanation:
A) Archaeology focuses on excavation techniques
Anthropology focuses on skeletal analysis. Forensic archaeologists specialize in meticulous excavation and context documentation, ensuring evidence integrity. In contrast, forensic anthropologists analyze osteological characteristics (age, sex, trauma, etc.). While they often collaborate, their core roles remain distinct.
Question 6. A cranial suture feature progresses from flat → V-shaped → deep groove → ragged and porous. This transformation corresponds to which aging process?
A) Development of wormian bones
B) Fusion and obliteration of cranial sutures
C) Deposition of sinus pneumatization
D) Expansion of diploic spaces
Answer & Explanation:
B) Fusion and obliteration of cranial sutures.
Suture morphology evolves with age: initially flat in youth, narrows (V-shaped), deepens, and eventually becomes irregular in old age—indicative of suture closure patterns widely used in age estimation.
Question 7. Which of the following environmental conditions most effectively delays the onset of putrefaction in human remains?
A) Warm and moist soil with insect activity
B) Acidic peat bog with low oxygen content
C) Sandy soil with high pH and dry airflow
D) Tropical canopy with high microbial biodiversity
Answer & Explanation:
B) Acidic peat bog with low oxygen content.
Peat bogs create a highly acidic, anaerobic environment that inhibits microbial growth and decomposition, often leading to natural mummification or "bog body" preservation. In contrast, warm and moist environments accelerate decomposition. This is a key taphonomic principle.
Question 8. What microscopic feature best differentiates sharp force trauma from blunt force trauma in bone?
A) Radiating fracture lines from point of impact
B) Hinge fractures and comminution
C) Kerf marks with parallel striations
D) Widened diploic space in cranial vault
Answer & Explanation:
C) Kerf marks with parallel striations.
Sharp force trauma, such as cuts from knives or axes, leaves kerf marks with tool-specific striations. Blunt force trauma typically results in hinge fractures, depressed fractures, or radiating cracks, without precision-cut indicators.
Question 9. In morphoscopic ancestry analysis, which cranial feature is most reliable in distinguishing between individuals of African vs European descent?
A) Shape of nasal aperture
B) Degree of prognathism
C) Orbital shape
D) Mental eminence prominence
Answer & Explanation:
A) Shape of nasal aperture.
The nasal aperture provides one of the most consistently reliable traits in morphoscopic analysis. African populations tend to exhibit a wider nasal aperture with a guttered nasal sill, whereas European ancestry often features a narrow aperture with a sharp nasal sill.
Note: This method is controversial and increasingly supplemented by genetic analysis due to concerns about population categorization.
Question 10. Which method provides the most accurate PMI estimate for decomposed remains when soft tissue is mostly absent?
A) Body temperature drop (algor mortis)
B) Insect activity timeline
C) Radiocarbon analysis of soft tissue
D) Bone weathering and soil staining
Answer & Explanation:
B) Insect activity timeline.
For decomposed remains, forensic entomology offers the most precise PMI estimate by studying the life cycles of necrophagous insects (e.g., blowflies, beetles). The other methods are either limited to early postmortem phases or too imprecise in skeletal cases.
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