Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Prometheus Books
Pages
394
Description
Chemists and science authors Cathy Cobb and Monty L Fetterolf have teamed up with Jack G. Goldsmith, fellow chemist and reserve police officer, to create another intriguing trek through the science of chemistry, this time using the fascinating field of forensic chemistry as their framework. All new hands-on demonstrations and fictional minute mysteries illustrate chemical concepts as the authors present the science - and the realities - of forensic chemistry in a narrative style that makes this timely topic accessible to the non-chemist. The authors lead you through actual and simulated forensic techniques such as: presumptive and confirmative drug testing; body fluid identification including luminol testing; DNA analysis; trace fibre and gun shot residue analysis; latent fingerprint development and collection; and, forensic soil analysis. Through over twenty-five demonstrations, using ordinary household products and items, you can become familiar with the basics of forensic chemistry and gain insights into the painstaking work that goes into criminal investigations that is rarely seen on TV. If you are a fan of true-crime stories or mystery fiction, or interested in the science behind dramas like CSI, this informative and entertaining book is a must-have addition to your library.… (more)
Description
Table of Contents:
Introduction : the chemistry of crime -- The case of the innovative introduction -- Public safety, and personal, too -- Crime lab and crime solutions -- pt. I. Bare-bones chemistry -- Demonstration 1. A significant difference -- 1. Confidence in chemistry and confidence in clues : the significance of digits -- The case of the presumptive perp -- Demonstration 2. Cashing it in -- 2. Improbable profiling : finding massive clues -- The case of the significant other -- Demonstration 3. The color of crime -- 3. My dear Watson : elements and the evidence they contain -- The case of the mystifying metal -- Demonstration 4. Chromatography and crime -- 4. Isolating the witness : screening tests tell -- The case of the dueling drugs -- Demonstration 5. A case of friction -- 5. Fatal attractions : intermolecular forces make the charges stick -- The case of the sticky situation -- Demonstration 6. The current case -- 6. Volatile situation : mass, gas, and chemical fingerprints -- The case of the validating vacuum -- Demonstration 7. Place of confinement -- 7. Too much of a good thing : establishing concentration levels -- A case of strong medicine -- Demonstration 8. Solid evidence -- 8. Crystal-clear crime : microcrystalline identification -- The case of the sweet surrender --
pt. II. Felonious interactions -- Demonstration 9. Physical evidence -- 9. A change for the worse : when it gets physical -- The case of the physical flaw -- Demonstration 10. Precipitating events -- 10. Chemistry under the influence : compounding the crime -- A case of nerves -- Demonstration 11. Seeing red, wearing blue -- 11. Acrimonious adversity : acid-base chemistry -- The case of the cracked case -- Demonstration 12. Reduced to essentials -- 12. Burning passion : runaway redox reactions -- The case of the reducing rat -- Demonstration 13. Incriminating chemistry -- 13. The smoking gun : explosive chemical reactions -- The case of the material witness -- Demonstration 14. Three strikes and a foul -- 14. In hot water : thermochemistry -- A very cold case -- Demonstration 15. Sequence of events -- 15. Doing time : the importance of chemical reaction rates -- A matter of timing -- Demonstration 16. Extracting the truth -- 16. The clue is in the GUE : physical equilibrium -- The case of the perfect grime -- Demonstration 17. Evidence indicating otherwise -- 17. Equal, just as for all : chemical equilibrium -- The case of a well-handled crime --
pt. III. Interrogation lights -- Demonstration 18. Behind prism bars -- 18. Enough rope : infrared spectroscopy for fiber and more -- A case of canine karma -- Demonstration 19. Examining the evidence -- 19. Under the microscope : microscopy -- The case of courting trouble -- Demonstration 20. Point of law -- 20. Sexy science : laser ablation -- The case of the subtle smear -- Demonstration 21. Illuminating details -- 21. The glaring truth : chemiluminescence and fluorescence -- The case of the hirsute homeless --
pt. IV. Corpus delicti
Demonstration 22. Pointing the finger
22. The prince of forensics : fingerprint technology
The case of the elusive acetone
Demonstration 23. A bloody shame
23. Sticky cases : bodily fluid identification
The case of the contraband confection
Demonstration 24. Sorting out the facts
24. Unlocking the cell : death, decay, and DNA
The case of the flowery felon
Demonstration 25. The big jolt
25. Sniffing out the truth : the future of forensic chemistry
The case of the clean getaway
Postmortem
Appendix. The periodic table of the elements.
Introduction : the chemistry of crime -- The case of the innovative introduction -- Public safety, and personal, too -- Crime lab and crime solutions -- pt. I. Bare-bones chemistry -- Demonstration 1. A significant difference -- 1. Confidence in chemistry and confidence in clues : the significance of digits -- The case of the presumptive perp -- Demonstration 2. Cashing it in -- 2. Improbable profiling : finding massive clues -- The case of the significant other -- Demonstration 3. The color of crime -- 3. My dear Watson : elements and the evidence they contain -- The case of the mystifying metal -- Demonstration 4. Chromatography and crime -- 4. Isolating the witness : screening tests tell -- The case of the dueling drugs -- Demonstration 5. A case of friction -- 5. Fatal attractions : intermolecular forces make the charges stick -- The case of the sticky situation -- Demonstration 6. The current case -- 6. Volatile situation : mass, gas, and chemical fingerprints -- The case of the validating vacuum -- Demonstration 7. Place of confinement -- 7. Too much of a good thing : establishing concentration levels -- A case of strong medicine -- Demonstration 8. Solid evidence -- 8. Crystal-clear crime : microcrystalline identification -- The case of the sweet surrender --
pt. II. Felonious interactions -- Demonstration 9. Physical evidence -- 9. A change for the worse : when it gets physical -- The case of the physical flaw -- Demonstration 10. Precipitating events -- 10. Chemistry under the influence : compounding the crime -- A case of nerves -- Demonstration 11. Seeing red, wearing blue -- 11. Acrimonious adversity : acid-base chemistry -- The case of the cracked case -- Demonstration 12. Reduced to essentials -- 12. Burning passion : runaway redox reactions -- The case of the reducing rat -- Demonstration 13. Incriminating chemistry -- 13. The smoking gun : explosive chemical reactions -- The case of the material witness -- Demonstration 14. Three strikes and a foul -- 14. In hot water : thermochemistry -- A very cold case -- Demonstration 15. Sequence of events -- 15. Doing time : the importance of chemical reaction rates -- A matter of timing -- Demonstration 16. Extracting the truth -- 16. The clue is in the GUE : physical equilibrium -- The case of the perfect grime -- Demonstration 17. Evidence indicating otherwise -- 17. Equal, just as for all : chemical equilibrium -- The case of a well-handled crime --
pt. III. Interrogation lights -- Demonstration 18. Behind prism bars -- 18. Enough rope : infrared spectroscopy for fiber and more -- A case of canine karma -- Demonstration 19. Examining the evidence -- 19. Under the microscope : microscopy -- The case of courting trouble -- Demonstration 20. Point of law -- 20. Sexy science : laser ablation -- The case of the subtle smear -- Demonstration 21. Illuminating details -- 21. The glaring truth : chemiluminescence and fluorescence -- The case of the hirsute homeless --
pt. IV. Corpus delicti
Demonstration 22. Pointing the finger
22. The prince of forensics : fingerprint technology
The case of the elusive acetone
Demonstration 23. A bloody shame
23. Sticky cases : bodily fluid identification
The case of the contraband confection
Demonstration 24. Sorting out the facts
24. Unlocking the cell : death, decay, and DNA
The case of the flowery felon
Demonstration 25. The big jolt
25. Sniffing out the truth : the future of forensic chemistry
The case of the clean getaway
Postmortem
Appendix. The periodic table of the elements.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
394 p.; 9.3 inches
ISBN
1591025052 / 9781591025054
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Areopagite
If you are a big fan of real-crime dramas, as well as CSI—like I am—and want to know the facts behind the fiction, this book is for you. Written by two chemistry professors and a law enforcement professional, the science is dumbed down for the layperson with no background in the sciences (what
Most importantly, Crime Scene Chemistry steps back from the fantasy of CSI and reminds the reader of the reality of forensic technology. While CSI often makes for good entertainment, the limitations of physics, budgetary constraints and science need to be remembered.
Plus, next time you watch a crime show you can be REALLY obnoxious!
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can I say, my education was in the Liberal Arts). Simple chemistry experiments are provided to demonstrate the scientific principles at work (I have a small, cluttered house and six dogs, so actually conducting the experiments was not practical, but I have more than one friend in mind who has the room and interest that has a present in his future), and short vignettes provide examples of how these chemistry comes into play in practical terms on a day-to-day basis in law enforcement.Most importantly, Crime Scene Chemistry steps back from the fantasy of CSI and reminds the reader of the reality of forensic technology. While CSI often makes for good entertainment, the limitations of physics, budgetary constraints and science need to be remembered.
Plus, next time you watch a crime show you can be REALLY obnoxious!
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookswoman
Interesting title, even more interesting book. I would have to take some exception to the "armchair sleuth" part, at least *this* armchair sleuth. The chemistry is dumbed down a lot, but not enough for someone who hasn't had at least some training in chemistry. I could follow along on the
I didn't much care for the cutesy names we gave each of the people involved in the "sleuth" part of this - for example Candy Hart (a victim) or Arty Fax (museum worker)but I could pretty much ignore them.
If you are a writer of mysteries and you always wanted to know what causes some of the chemical reactions that are then discovered forensically, this is the book for you! And, you can reproduce the reactions in your own home with things like lemons, celery, ph-testing kits for an aquarium, and batteries. It was a lot of fun to read the experiments, too bad I couldn't follow the chemistry.
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experiments and do okay with the sleuthing part, or at least understand the explanation but the part that introduces the chemistry was a bit (or a lot in some cases) over my head. Still, I read to the end because the way the experiments were done was fascinating and seeing how things reacted was cool. Not that I actually performed any of the experiments (everyone is told they can and exactly how to do each experiment).I didn't much care for the cutesy names we gave each of the people involved in the "sleuth" part of this - for example Candy Hart (a victim) or Arty Fax (museum worker)but I could pretty much ignore them.
If you are a writer of mysteries and you always wanted to know what causes some of the chemical reactions that are then discovered forensically, this is the book for you! And, you can reproduce the reactions in your own home with things like lemons, celery, ph-testing kits for an aquarium, and batteries. It was a lot of fun to read the experiments, too bad I couldn't follow the chemistry.
Show Less
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