UNIT 4 TEXT QUESTIONS 

Review​ Questions 

1. What is a comparison microscope? What are the advantages of this 

microscope? 

a. A comparison microscope combines two microscopes into one unit, 

allowing the viewer to see what is under each of the lenses at the same 
time. This is particularly helpful for examining a piece of evidence with a 

known sample, since the two samples can be examined side by side. 

2. What are the three substances that generally make up paint? Describe each part. 

a. The three parts that make up paint are pigments, binders and solvents. 

Pigments consist generally of organic and non-organic compounds and 

materials that are added to paint to produce a particular color. Binders are 
substances that provide support or structure for the pigment and solvents 

to work. 

3. What are polymers? 

a. A polymer is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules, or 

macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their 

broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic and natural polymers play 

essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday life. 

4. What is a scanning electron microscope? What are its advantages? 

a. topographical, morphological and compositional information, a Scanning 

Electron Microscope can detect and analyze surface fractures, provide 

information in microstructures, examine surface contaminations, reveal 

 spatial variations in chemical compositions, provide qualitative chemical 
analyses and identify crystalline structures. 

5. What is the PDQ? What is it used for? 

a. PDQ is a restaurant with a location in Sanford, my friend works there. 

Actually it’s the PaintData Query and tracks all known paints.  

Critical Thinking​ Questions 

1. What are some of the challenges for forensic scientists in dealing with fiber 

evidence? 

a. Collecting them can be difficult as well as preserving them and any 

evidence that may be on the fibers. 

2. What does it mean if a paint sample “matches” a known sample from a vehicle? 
Does this indicate the same source? Why or why not? 

a. it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s from the same source just that they 

were made the same. 

3. Why are microscopes important to forensic scientists? 

a. Microscopes are important because they can help find miniscule evidence 
that otherwise wouldn’t be able to be seen or used.  

4. How does trace evidence end up transferring to the crime scene, suspect, or 

victim? Discuss some of the ways that this might happen. 

a. Trace evidence is small and easily moved from one place to another 

especially upon contact with someone or something. It’s most likely to be 
 transferred in crimes such are sexual assault, murder, or other types of 
assault.  

5. What elements of paint can help forensic scientists compare samples to each 

other? 

a. The way it’s made can give clues as to who is the producer and where it 

may have been used.