Forensic Physics: Applied Analysis
Published:
Questions
30
Duration
30 min
Faculty-reviewed
30
Updated
30 Apr 2026
About this mock
This mock is the medium-difficulty companion to Mock #6 (Forensic Physics: Foundations). Same eight FACT Forensic Physics syllabus sub-topics, same 30-question, 15-minute format — but at the application level. Where the foundations paper asked "what is X?", this paper asks "you have evidence X, what do you do, and what does the result mean?". Calculations from the Beer-Lambert law, glass-fracture direction-of-impact, paint-layer mismatch interpretation, likelihood-ratio arithmetic, formant-frequency comparison, CCTV photogrammetric speed estimation, fire-pattern interpretation, and the v = √(2gμd) speed-from-skid formula all show up.
It is pitched at second-year MSc forensic-science students at NFSU, LNJN-NICFS, GFSU and other Indian universities, FACT and FACT Plus aspirants who have the vocabulary down and now need to score on the applied paper, and UGC-NET candidates who want a calibration check before the exam. Pair this mock with #6: do #6 first, review the explanations, then attempt this one to see whether the foundational concepts have hardened into working knowledge.
Topics covered:
- Multi-evidence scene sequencing and the panchnama for digital + physical exhibits together
- Wet-weapon preservation and the consequences of broken chain of custody
- Beer-Lambert calculation; SEM-EDX interpretation (Pb-Sb-Ba GSR signature)
- Choosing the right instrument: GRIM for glass, GC-MS for unknowns
- The 3R rule applied to forced-entry direction; paint-chip layer mismatch interpretation
- Tool-mark and tyre-mark class vs individual characteristics
- Likelihood-ratio calculation (LR = 0.9 / 0.001 = 900) and posterior-odds combination
- 95% confidence band from QC SD measurements
- Formant-frequency comparison and intra- vs inter-speaker variability
- GSM codec band-limit effects on forensic voice analysis
- Sex / age inference from F0; falsetto disguise detection
- De-interlacing for CCTV plate readability; speed estimation from frame count
- DVR clock-skew documentation and the chain of custody
- IS 269 cement adulteration interpretation; NFPA 921 fire-pattern + ILR analysis
- Forensic palynology in soil comparison; SPR for wet-plastic latent prints
- v = √(2gμd) skid-distance speed; ABS intermittent skid marks and the EDR
- PDQ paint analysis as class-level evidence; tyre-mark class-vs-individual reporting
Each question carries a detailed 220+ word explanation citing standard references (Saferstein, Sharma, NFPA 921, ENFSI, ASTM E1588, IS 269 / IS 4031, Daily & Strickland, Bodziak, Hollien, ACPO, SWGDE, Aitken & Taroni, Bandey Fingermark Visualisation Manual). Allow 30 minutes; the explanations double as study notes. The next three mocks (#8 Evidence Collection & Pattern Analysis; #9 Instruments & Spectroscopy; #10 Voice, Video & Reconstruction) are the hard premium papers that complete the FACT Forensic Physics series.
Sources & references
Questions in this mock are written and verified against the following sources. Citations are recorded per question and shown in the explanation after submission.
- cited in 4 questions
Saferstein, Richard — Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science
12th Edition, Chapter on Paint and the PDQ Database
- cited in 2 questions
Bodziak, William J. — Tire Tread and Tire Track Evidence
Chapter on Identification: Class and Individual Characteristics
- cited in 2 questions
Daily, John & Strickland, Roy — Fundamentals of Traffic Crash Reconstruction
Chapter on Speed Estimation from Skid Marks (worked examples)
- cited in 2 questions
Aitken, C.G.G. & Taroni, F. — Statistics and the Evaluation of Evidence for Forensic Scientists
3rd Edition, Chapter on Likelihood Ratios and Verbal Scales
- cited in 2 questions
Hollien, Harry — Forensic Voice Identification
Chapter on Acoustic-Phonetic Comparison and Intra- vs Inter-Speaker Variability
- cited in 1 question
NFPA 921 — Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
Chapter on Fire Patterns and Incendiary Fire Indicators
- cited in 1 question
Skoog, West, Holler, Crouch — Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
9th Edition, Chapter on Beer-Lambert Law (worked examples)
- cited in 1 question
NIJ — Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for First Responders
Section 4: Documenting and Evaluating the Scene; Section 5: Processing and Collecting Evidence
Open source - cited in 1 question
ENFSI — Methodological Guidelines for Best Practice in Forensic Speaker Recognition
Section on Telephone Recording Quality and Codec Effects
- cited in 1 question
ASTM E1588 — Standard Guide for Gunshot Residue Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy
Section on GSR Particle Classification (consistent / characteristic / unique)
- cited in 1 question
Bureau of Indian Standards — IS 269: Specification for Ordinary Portland Cement
Limits on insoluble residue, MgO, and the IS 4031 series of test methods (compressive strength)
- cited in 1 question
ACPO — Good Practice Guide for Digital Evidence
Section on CCTV / DVR Time-Synchronisation and Skew Documentation
- cited in 1 question
Standard Statistics for Forensic Science
Foundational chapter on the Normal distribution and the Empirical Rule
- cited in 1 question
ENFSI — Guideline for the Forensic Examination of Fibres
Section on Transfer, Persistence, and Recovery of Fibres
- cited in 1 question
BPRD — Standard Operating Procedure for Digital Evidence Investigation
Section on Seizure of Digital and Physical Evidence Together
- cited in 1 question
SWGDRUG — Recommendations for Identification of Controlled Substances
Category A confirmatory techniques (GC-MS, FTIR, NMR)
- cited in 1 question
SWGDE — Best Practices for Image and Video Photogrammetry
Section on Speed Estimation from CCTV
- cited in 1 question
Sharma, B.R. — Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation and Trials
5th Edition, Chapter on Chain of Custody and Admissibility of Forensic Evidence
- cited in 1 question
SWGDE — Best Practices for Digital Video Forensics
Section on De-interlacing and Frame-Field Reconstruction
- cited in 1 question
Mildenhall, D.C. — Forensic Palynology in Practice
Chapter on Soil Comparison Using Pollen Profiles
- cited in 1 question
AFTE — Theory of Identification (Tool Mark Examiners' Standard)
Section on Class vs Individual Characteristics in Tool Mark Comparison
- cited in 1 question
Bandey, H.L. (ed.) — Fingermark Visualisation Manual
Section on Wet Non-Porous Surfaces (Small Particle Reagent)
- cited in 1 question
ENFSI — Guideline for the Forensic Examination of Glass Fragments
Section on Refractive Index Measurement (GRIM method)
How our mocks are built
Questions are written and edited by the ForensicSpot team and cited from peer-reviewed forensic textbooks, official syllabi and primary case law. Each one is verified before publishing. Detailed explanations show after you submit, so the test stays a real test. See a mistake? Tell us.
Common questions
What does the Forensic Physics: Applied Analysis mock cover?+
This mock is the medium-difficulty companion to Mock #6 (Forensic Physics: Foundations). Same eight FACT Forensic Physics syllabus sub-topics, same 30-question, 15-minute format — but at the application level. Where the foundations paper asked "what is X?", this paper asks "you have evidence X, what do you do, and what does the result mean?". Calculations from the Beer-Lambert law, glass-fracture direction-of-impact, paint-layer mismatch interpretation, likelihood-ratio arith
How many questions and how long is the test?+
30 multiple-choice questions, 30 minutes total. Difficulty: medium. Tier: Free.
Who is this mock for?+
Forensic science students and aspirants who want timed, exam-style practice with explanations and verified source citations on Forensic Physics, FACT. Useful for postgraduate entrance preparation and for BSc / MSc forensic students testing their recall under time.
Are the questions reviewed?+
Yes — 30 of 30 questions are faculty-reviewed. Each question carries a verified source citation.
Do I need an account to take this mock?+
Yes, a free ForensicSpot account is required to start a timed attempt — this lets you save progress, see per-question explanations after submission, and track your topic-level performance over time.