Science Crime Busters B

[Jim_R]

Discussion for Science Crime Busters B.

Science Crime Busters Wiki
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[prelude to death]

Anyone with the rules already: Are the rules/materials much different from last year? Additionally, is Water Testing back, or is it still polymers and fibers?

[chalker]

Anyone with the rules already: Are the rules/materials much different from last year? Additionally, is Water Testing back, or is it still polymers and fibers?

There are only minor changes. It's still polymers and fibers.

[geekychic13]

I think that one of the major changes i noticed was that we dont use NaOH this year, we use iodine....but thats all i noticed....

[Sherry Berry]

I did this event two years ago for the team tryouts, and I was not very good at it. It was mostly because I had no idea what tests they wanted me to do, so does anyone know like a website where they tell you what the tests are, or are they on the rules manual and I just somehow missed them?

[DigiDuncan]

It's EXACTLY like last year. I was hoping for water testing, but, sadly, no sign of it as of yet.

[CopperPenny]

This was my favorite event last year, when I was in sixth grade. I hope I get on it dearly, as I did only decent on the test and am eighth for picking events.

What was water testing?

[zazzy7]

I'm doing CB this year, but the guidelines are pretty vague and my partner have no clue of where to start in preparing. I know we have to study, but don't know what to study. Any tips?

Ty xD

[Saturiea]

There are a lot of things to learn. Based of past experience a majority of the test is ID of the powders and mixtures. So my suggestion is to talk to your coach about getting the needed powders and then start practicing how you can ID them. Maybe make a dichotomous key

[prelude to death]

There are a lot of things to learn. Based of past experience a majority of the test is ID of the powders and mixtures. So my suggestion is to talk to your coach about getting the needed powders and then start practicing how you can ID them. Maybe make a dichotomous key

I strongly agree. The majority of the test will in fact be powders, but you might also want to take a look at liquids and metals too, since the liquids are commonly found lying around the house, and you might have better access to them. Once you feel like you got the hang of recognizing individual powders, then you should start moving onto mixtures of 2, then 3 if you feel braver. However, the event isn't just identification. You'll have to know things like types of fingerprints (which is pretty basic), as well as what certain types of fibers and hairs look like under microscopes. Those are the most common things seen in the competition setting, and should be enough to get you started. Also, you might want to take a lot of practice tests with your partner - find out who is better at doing what. For example, my partner and I have worked out a system that allows us to use our 50 minutes of event time the most efficiently. You can either split up the work or work together, although I do recommend from previous experience to split up the work because the time you have is limited.

[Skink]

Majority? Keep in mind, as far as scoring is concerned, unknown ID--mostly powders--is 50%. That's a 50% you can't afford to lose, but don't skip practicing everything else, either.

[geminicross]

There are a lot of things to learn. Based of past experience a majority of the test is ID of the powders and mixtures. So my suggestion is to talk to your coach about getting the needed powders and then start practicing how you can ID them. Maybe make a dichotomous key

I strongly agree. The majority of the test will in fact be powders, but you might also want to take a look at liquids and metals too, since the liquids are commonly found lying around the house, and you might have better access to them. Once you feel like you got the hang of recognizing individual powders, then you should start moving onto mixtures of 2, then 3 if you feel braver. However, the event isn't just identification. You'll have to know things like types of fingerprints (which is pretty basic), as well as what certain types of fibers and hairs look like under microscopes. Those are the most common things seen in the competition setting, and should be enough to get you started. Also, you might want to take a lot of practice tests with your partner - find out who is better at doing what. For example, my partner and I have worked out a system that allows us to use our 50 minutes of event time the most efficiently. You can either split up the work or work together, although I do recommend from previous experience to split up the work because the time you have is limited.

Do you have any info on analyzing blood spatters?

[AlphaTauri]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodstain ... n_analysis

Before asking for help, I would highly suggest running a simple google/bing/whatever-search-engine-floats-your-boat search on any topic you want to know about for SCB. Most of my notes for Forensics come from a simple google/wikipedia search (and the 2-inch thick pile of notes I inherited from former competitors, which is mostly wikipedia anyways).

[outofsight13]

Will we have to construct and bring a paper chromatogram, for testing, to the competition? Or do we just have to know what they are and how they work?

[Skink]

You will have to go to competition and make a chromatogram. The supervisor will provide the materials, but know how to do it. It's easy points lost, otherwise.