Article
Article
Forensic physics
Article By:
Menzel, E. Roland Center for Forensic Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Last reviewed:November 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.801810
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The application of physics for purposes of civil or criminal law. Indirectly, physics has contributed to forensic science via the invention of the microscope, the electron microscope, the mass spectrometer, and optical spectrometers. A direct contribution is the use of the photoluminescence phenomenon for physical evidence examination, with latent fingerprint detection (Fig. 1) the most notable application in criminalistics (and the focus of this article). Forensic physics techniques are complementary to forensic chemistry techniques, such as analytical chemistry, and forensic biology techniques, including serology and DNA profiling. See also: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); Forensic biology; Forensic chemistry; Forensic microscopy; Forensic science; Forensic science evidence; Mass spectrometry; Microscope; Serology; Spectroscopy
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