ACTIVITY NO.

FORENSIC FIBER ANALYSIS

I – OBJECTIVES:

●       To distinguish between a natural and manufactured fiber.

●       To distinguish between animal and plant-derived fibers or

artificial/synthetic fibers.

 Note:  Do not forget your safety measures!

II- BACKGROUND:

            Fibers are categorized according to its origin the natural and

synthetic. Natural fibers are derived entirely from plant or animal
sources. The synthetic is made from long chains of molecules called
polymers. Fibers are collected at the crime scene with tweezers, tape,
or a vacuum they generally located from clothing, carpeting, furniture,
and blankets.

 The problem of fiber as evidence, it considered class evidence, so it

cannot pinpoint an offender in any definitive manner.  There should
be other factors or circumstances involved, such as evidence that the
fibers can corroborate or something unique to the fibers that set them
apart.

III- MATERIALS:

           

            Specimen: silk, wool, nylon, rayon, and acetate

            Alcohol lamp/ CANDLE

            Tweezers/PULLER

IV- PROCEDURES:

Physical Examination

1.    Look to the physical appearance of the fiber such as crimp, length,

color, relative diameter, luster, apparent cross-section, damage, and
adhering debris and note it.

Burning Test

1. Using the alcohol lamp and tweezers burn the small portion of each
specimen observe the color, odor, and the presence of beads.

Note: if there is the presence of beads formation at the tip if the fiber
that is synthetic.

V – OBSERVATION:

1. Complete the table below base on physical examination.

Fibers Length Color other features

1.wool  None None  None
2. silk  2 inches White  Soft
3.rayon  3 inches Pink  Smooth
4. nylon  2 inches Golden yellow  soft
5. acetate  3 inches Silver white  Rough
 
2. What fibers show similar appearance/s and classify them?

The nylon fabric and acetate have the same appearance because their
silky appearance and which have a light colors like silver white and
golden yellow.

3. Complete the table below base on burning test, write the specimen
show bead formation after burning the tip.

   

Fibers without the presents of bead Fibers with bead formation

formation

   

   

 
4. Based on the test what fibers you identified as natural and
synthetic? Explain your rationale.

Based on the test the fiber that I identified as natural is the silk because I
think the sources of these fiber is from plant or animal which is considered
the origin of the natural fibers. While the fibers that I identified as synthetic
are rayon, nylon, and acetate which is I think they are made from long
chains of molecules called polymers using chemical reactions.

DOCUMENTATION: