For this project, we had to use many different forensic methods to solve the murder of Carlton Comet. My group was Sean, Izzy, and Kian. In this project, it was fairly difficult to learn how to use forensic methods, but once my group mates and I got the hang of it, it was simple. We had to present the the case to a group of judges with a slideshow. We were questioned on our methods as the judges tried to find flaws in the case. When we presented the sentence we stated that it was 1st degree murder, but the judges changed it to 2nd degree.
We origanaly charged Nancy Normal with 1st degree murder and Fred Flimmer with compirasy to murder. The reason we claimed 1st degree murder was because the murder was planned out and then commited. The suspects were Glen Glee, Sam Sophmore, Fred Flimmer, Nancy Normal, and Thereasa TerraBut. The judges claimed we did not have substancial evidence for 1st degree murder. The main piece of evidence was a note adressed to carlton comet, stating that he is a dead man. The person that wrote this note was Nancy Normal.
The methods that we used to figure out who did what were fingerprinting, ink cromotolagy blood type, we used the disorders to determine what they would do. we also used DNA fingerprinting, and karyotypes helped us.
Terms and How We Used Them
Fingerprinting: DNA fingerprinting is a laboratory technique used to establish a link between biological evidence and a suspect in a criminal investigation. A DNA sample taken from a crime scene is compared with a DNA sample from a suspect. We used fingerprinting to figure out who's prints were at the crime scene.
Ink cromatography: Chromatography is a method for analyzing mixtures by separating them into the chemicals from which they are made. In ink chromatography, you are separating the colored pigments that make up the color of the pen. We used ink cromotography to determine the pen used to write the death threat note.
Karyotypes: A karyotype is an organized profile of a person's chromosomes. Two chromosomes specify sex, XX for female and XY for male. The rest are arranged in pairs, numbered 1 through 22, from largest to smallest. This arrangement helps scientists quickly identify chromosomal alterations that may result in a genetic disorder. This helped us determine what genetic disease the suspects had. Which, would help us figure out the killer.
Pedigrees: Pedigrees are used to analyze the pattern of inheritance of a particular trait throughout a family.Pedigrees show the presence or absence of a trait as it relates to the relationship among parents, offspring, and siblings. We used pedigrees to help establish the motives and our claim.
DNA structure: DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a sugar group and a nitrogen base. The four types of nitrogen bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). We used this to help us find out the chromosome disorders.
DNA Replication: The process by which DNA makes a copy of itself during cell division. During cell replication misreplications can occur which can cause diseases.
Genetics Vocab
1. alleles: one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.
2. dominant: Is a relationship between alleles of one gene, in which the effect on phenotype of one allele masks the contribution of a second allele at the same locus. The first allele is dominant and the second allele is recessive. Baldness, widows peak. freckles, cleft chin, and dimples are examples of dominant traits.
3. reccessive: Denoting heritable characteristics controlled by genes that are expressed in offspring only when inherited from both parents. Smooth chin and a straight hairline are examples of reccessive traits.
DNA mutations: A change in DNA, the hereditary material of life. An organism's DNA affects how it looks, how it behaves, and its physiology. So a change in an organism's DNA can cause changes in all aspects of its life. Mutations are essential to evolution; they are the raw material of genetic variation.
Chromosomal disorders: Structural chromosome disorders result from breakages within a chromosome. some examples are down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome.
We origanaly charged Nancy Normal with 1st degree murder and Fred Flimmer with compirasy to murder. The reason we claimed 1st degree murder was because the murder was planned out and then commited. The suspects were Glen Glee, Sam Sophmore, Fred Flimmer, Nancy Normal, and Thereasa TerraBut. The judges claimed we did not have substancial evidence for 1st degree murder. The main piece of evidence was a note adressed to carlton comet, stating that he is a dead man. The person that wrote this note was Nancy Normal.
The methods that we used to figure out who did what were fingerprinting, ink cromotolagy blood type, we used the disorders to determine what they would do. we also used DNA fingerprinting, and karyotypes helped us.
Terms and How We Used Them
Fingerprinting: DNA fingerprinting is a laboratory technique used to establish a link between biological evidence and a suspect in a criminal investigation. A DNA sample taken from a crime scene is compared with a DNA sample from a suspect. We used fingerprinting to figure out who's prints were at the crime scene.
Ink cromatography: Chromatography is a method for analyzing mixtures by separating them into the chemicals from which they are made. In ink chromatography, you are separating the colored pigments that make up the color of the pen. We used ink cromotography to determine the pen used to write the death threat note.
Karyotypes: A karyotype is an organized profile of a person's chromosomes. Two chromosomes specify sex, XX for female and XY for male. The rest are arranged in pairs, numbered 1 through 22, from largest to smallest. This arrangement helps scientists quickly identify chromosomal alterations that may result in a genetic disorder. This helped us determine what genetic disease the suspects had. Which, would help us figure out the killer.
Pedigrees: Pedigrees are used to analyze the pattern of inheritance of a particular trait throughout a family.Pedigrees show the presence or absence of a trait as it relates to the relationship among parents, offspring, and siblings. We used pedigrees to help establish the motives and our claim.
DNA structure: DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a sugar group and a nitrogen base. The four types of nitrogen bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). We used this to help us find out the chromosome disorders.
DNA Replication: The process by which DNA makes a copy of itself during cell division. During cell replication misreplications can occur which can cause diseases.
Genetics Vocab
1. alleles: one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.
2. dominant: Is a relationship between alleles of one gene, in which the effect on phenotype of one allele masks the contribution of a second allele at the same locus. The first allele is dominant and the second allele is recessive. Baldness, widows peak. freckles, cleft chin, and dimples are examples of dominant traits.
3. reccessive: Denoting heritable characteristics controlled by genes that are expressed in offspring only when inherited from both parents. Smooth chin and a straight hairline are examples of reccessive traits.
DNA mutations: A change in DNA, the hereditary material of life. An organism's DNA affects how it looks, how it behaves, and its physiology. So a change in an organism's DNA can cause changes in all aspects of its life. Mutations are essential to evolution; they are the raw material of genetic variation.
Chromosomal disorders: Structural chromosome disorders result from breakages within a chromosome. some examples are down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome.
Overall this project was one of my least favorites. But our work was done thurowly and we worked very hard to make it that way. Our group was not usually in an agreement, (it never was) but we finished the project and did it to the best of our abilities. I was pleased with the amount of work that I did, and the quality of the work that I did. If I could do It again I would definatly make sure we did the work first, and the messing around when we were all done. The group communication and focus at first were poor, but everything else we did seemed to cancel it out. The pit of our project was the first day when the project was not taken seriously and focused on, but the peak was when we were in the middle of the project. I learned that I worked well with people who would listen and take responsibility for their actions, but did not work well with people who blamed others.