Question

1. what is another term that is frequently used to describe livor mortis?
2. what is the approximate time table for livor mortis?
3. compare your estimations for rigor, algor and livor mortis. how confident are you with reporting an estimated time of death. explain why?
4. list the 6 stages of decomposition with a brief - super brief, description:
5. identify what e. coli is and explain what its role in decomposition is.

Explanation:

1. Livor mortis is commonly called post-mortem lividity, referring to blood pooling after death.
2. The timeline for livor mortis: begins 2-4 hours post-mortem, fully fixed 8-12 hours, and permanent after that.
3. Rigor mortis (muscle stiffening) peaks 12-24 hours then fades; algor mortis (cooling) follows a roughly linear rate initially. Confidence depends on consistent environmental conditions (e.g., temperature) and lack of confounding factors (e.g., clothing, body size). Inconsistent conditions reduce confidence.
4. The 6 decomposition stages are: Fresh (immediate post-mortem, autolysis starts), Bloat (gas buildup from bacteria), Active Decay (tissue breakdown, fluid release), Advanced Decay (most soft tissue gone), Dry/Remains (only bones, hair, cartilage), Skeletal (complete skeletonization).
5. E. Coli is a bacterium naturally present in the gut. Its role in decomposition is initiating the breakdown of intestinal tissues and contributing to early-stage putrefaction via enzyme release and gas production.

Answer:

1. Post-mortem lividity
2. Begins 2-4h, fixed 8-12h, permanent after
3. Rigor peaks 12-24h then fades; algor cools linearly initially. Confidence varies with consistent environmental conditions (higher with consistency, lower with confounders like body size or clothing).
4. 1. Fresh: Autolysis starts immediately. 2. Bloat: Gas buildup from bacteria. 3. Active Decay: Tissue breakdown, fluid release. 4. Advanced Decay: Most soft tissue lost. 5. Dry/Remains: Bones, hair, cartilage left. 6. Skeletal: Full skeletonization.
5. E. Coli is a gut bacterium; it initiates intestinal tissue breakdown and early putrefaction.