5.03 DNA and Blood Tests

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Introduction

So far in this unit you have learned about the structure of DNA, how it is collected and analyzed, and how it can be used to solve forensic cases. 

DNA can most likely be found on any piece of evidence that has come in contact with a person, but how do scientists find the DNA on these items? How do scientists know if a stain at a crime scene is blood or a spilled drink? 

In this lesson, you will learn about tests that can tell scientists if evidence should be further analyzed for blood and DNA. You will also learn how blood types can be determined from blood evidence.

 

Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to... Describe presumptive and confirmatory forensic tests. Examples: blood type comparison, DNA testing. Enduring Understandings DNA is analyzed by certain techniques and equipment. Scientific inquiry utilizes the scientific method and inductive reasoning. Blood types can be classified using the ABO system. The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Forensic and Criminal Investigations standards: 5.3, 6.5 and 7