CHEM-120 Introduction to Forensic Science

Credits 4 / 3 Contact Hours
Pre-requisite: Placement into ACRD 080; Score of 2.0 or better in CHEM-111 or any higher chemistry laboratory course and a 2.0 or better in MATH-120. Note: Each student will need to supply their own scientific calculator (TI-30 series) splashproof goggles and full length lab coat. Co-requisite: CHEM-120L
A survey of scientific methods of crime and analysis. Students will use various wet lab and instrumental techniques to examine evidence such as hair soil fibers fingerprints etc generally associated with a crime scene.

Course Outcomes
1. Learn the services of a typical comprehensive crime laboratory in the criminal justice system 2. Learn the proper procedures for conducting a systematic search of a crime scene and the proper techniques for packaging common types of physical evidence 3. Learn about the function of the national databases available to forensic scientists 4. Learn how to use density, refractive index, and other physical properties to compare soil and glass samples 5. Learn how to use thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography, IR spectroscopy and electrophoresis to analyze chemical compounds 6. Learn how to use microscopy to compare and identify hair samples 7. Learn how to analyze drug samples using chromatographic techniques 8. Learn how to determine blood alcohol levels using gas chromatography and breathe analyzers 9. Learn how to use laboratory procedures to detect and identify hydrocarbon and explosive residues 10. Learn how to collect, develop and compare fingerprints