Biology · Law Legal Studies

Forensic Science Techniques

725 Questions

Forensic science techniques involve the application of scientific methods like DNA fingerprinting, biometrics, and trace evidence analysis to solve crimes. These topics appear in specialized law enforcement and general science exams. Practice these questions to understand forensic fundamentals.

DNA fingerprinting methodsTrace evidence transferBiometrics and identificationForensic pathology

Forensic Science Techniques Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following differences form(s) the basis of DNA fingerprinting?

  1. Difference in pattern of genes between individuals

  2. Difference in junk DNA pattern between individuals

  3. Difference in order of genes between individuals

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Junk DNA means non-coding DNA, which is present in the satellites. No two individuals have the same pattern of tandem repeats, i.e. junk DNA, thus it forms the basis of DNA fingerprinting.

Multiple choice

Which of the following sequences of DNA fingerprinting procedure is correct?

  1. Restriction digestion - DNA isolation - Electrophoresis - Southern blotting - Probe hybridisation - Autoradiograph

  2. DNA isolation - Electrophoresis - Restriction digestion - Southern blotting - Probe hybridisation - Autoradiograph

  3. DNA isolation - Restriction digestion - Electrophoresis - Probe hybridisation - Southern blotting - Autoradiograph

  4. DNA isolation - Restriction digestion - Electrophoresis - Southern blotting - Probe hybridisation - Autoradiograph
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct sequence. 

Multiple choice

DNA fingerprinting is applicable everywhere except

  1. to settle disputed parentage

  2. criminal identification and forensics

  3. personal identification

  4. amplification of VNTR region
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

DNA fingerprinting cannot be applied to the amplification of VNTR region.

Multiple choice

What is the correct sequence in DNA fingerprinting?

  1. (1) Isolation of DNA (2) Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases (3) Separation of DNA fragments by electrophoresis (4) Transferring (blotting) of separated DNA fragments to synthetic membranes (5) Detection of hybridised DNA fragments by autoradiography (6) Hybridisation using labelled VNTR probe

  2. (1) Isolation of DNA (2) Separation of DNA fragments by electrophoresis (3) Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases (4) Transferring (blotting) of separated DNA fragments (5) Hybridisation using labelled VNTR probe (6) Detection of hybridised DNA fragments by autoradiography

  3. (1) Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases (2) Isolation of DNA (3) Transferring (blotting) of separated DNA fragments to synthetic membranes (4) Separation of DNA fragments by electrophoresis (5) Hybridisation using labelled VNTR probe (6) Detection of hybridised DNA fragments by autoradiography

  4. (1) Isolation of DNA (2) Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases (3) Separation of DNA fragments by electrophoresis (4) Transferring (blotting) of separated DNA fragments to synthetic membranes (5) Hybridisation using labelled VNTR probe (6) Detection of hybridised DNA fragments by autoradiography

  5. (1) Isolation of DNA (2) Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases (3) Transferring (blotting) of separated DNA fragments to synthetic membranes (4) Separation of DNA fragments by electrophoresis (5) Hybridisation using labelled VNTR probe (6) Detection of hybridised DNA fragments by autoradiography
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct sequence in DNA fingerprinting is: (1) Isolation of DNA (2) Digestion of DNA by restriction endonucleases (3) Separation of DNA fragments by electrophoresis (4) Transferring (blotting) of separated DNA fragments to synthetic membranes (5) Hybridisation using labelled VNTR probe (6) Detection of hybridised DNA fragments by autoradiography

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a computational tool used to calculate theoretical polymerase chain reaction methods that can be used to directly quantify and clonally amplify nucleic acids including DNA, cDNA or RNA?

  1. Allele-specific PCR

  2. Hot start PCR

  3. Dial-out PCR

  4. Digital PCR

  5. In silico PCR
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Digital PCR (dPCR) is a computational tool used to calculate theoretical polymerase chain reaction methods that can be used to directly quantify and clonally amplify nucleic acids including DNA, cDNA or RNA.

Multiple choice

Which of the following techniques is employed by forensic scientists to assist them for the identification of individuals by their respective DNA profiles?

  1. Genome sequencing

  2. DNA testing

  3. DNA hybridisation

  4. DNA replication

  5. Forensic archaeology
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

It is also called DNA profiling, DNA typing or genetic fingerprinting. DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier.

Multiple choice

Which step of DNA sequencing is skipped during shot-gun sequencing?

  1. Computer analysis

  2. Cloning of DNA fragment

  3. Primer reaction

  4. Mapping step
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Shotgun sequencing randomly fragments the entire genome and sequences the fragments, then uses computational methods to assemble them. Unlike hierarchical (clone-by-clone) sequencing, it skips the labor-intensive step of creating a detailed physical map of the genome before sequencing.

Multiple choice

Assertion: Majority of the genome is non-coding but it also has very important role to play almost equal to the coding DNA. Reason: DNA fingerprinting matches the variable number of tandem repeats in order to conclude the results.

  1. Assertion and Reason both are correct and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.

  2. Assertion and reason both are correct and Reason is NOT the correct explanation of Assertion.

  3. Assertion is correct but Reason is wrong.

  4. Assertion and Reason both are incorrect.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The non-coding regions of DNA are employed for various important functions like mutation buffer, regulation of transcription, replication and other processes, which make it equally important as the coding region. DNA fingerprinting makes use of VNTRs, which are repeat sequences in the non-coding regions.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an incorrect statement?

  1. PCR is a laboratory technique for amplifying a specific DNA sequence.

  2. Gel electrophoresis is a basic technique used to separate DNA, RNA or proteins.

  3. The northern blotting is a laboratory method used to detect specific RNA molecules from a mixture of RNA molecules.

  4. Electroporation used to transfer polar molecules like DNA into host cells.

  5. The southern blotting technique depends on similarities between the sequences of probe RNA and experimental RNA.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The southern blotting technique is a laboratory method used to detect specific DNA molecules from many other DNA molecules. The southern blotting technique depends on similarities between the sequences of probe DNA and experimental DNA.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is computational tool used to calculate theoretical polymerase chain reaction results using a given set of primers to amplify DNA sequences from a sequenced genome?

  1. Allele-specific PCR

  2. Hot start PCR

  3. Dial-out PCR

  4. Digital PCR

  5. In silico PCR
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

In silico PCR refers to computational tools used to calculate theoretical polymerase chain reaction results using a given set of primers to amplify DNA sequences from a sequenced genome or transcriptome.