Forensic Soil Reading Analysis:
 Read pages 469-473 in the book.
 Answer the following questions about soil evidence.
1. What is the definition of soil for a forensic scientist?
2. What are two reasons that soil is valuable?
3. The book states that “forensic soil analysis is comparative in nature;” Explain what this
quote means and what type of physical evidence you would need to collect in order to
compare soil samples.
4. What is a geologist and why are they important to the forensic of soil?
5. Explain what gross appearance means. Give examples.
6. Explain why evaluating color is important to forensic soil analysis.
7. Explain what happens when you look at soil under low power? High power?
8. What is a mineral and how are individual minerals identified?
9. Why is soil analysis so difficult? Use at least 2 pieces of evidence from the Variation in Soil
paragraphs (p 471).
10.Why do you need to collect soil at various intervals at a 100 yard radius?
11.Why would we need to collect soil at all alibi locations?
12.Why would we need to collect a lump of soil intact? Explain