FSC 100 Chapter 8 Exam Questions with Correct Answers Latest 2026/2027
Why is establishing linkages between suspect, victim, and crime scene important? - Answers It
helps identify the perpetrator by connecting objects (e.g., bullets, tools) to the suspect or crime
scene.
What creates individual markings on a bullet? - Answers Striations made by the lands and
grooves inside a gun barrel during rifling or through use/abuse.
Are the lands and grooves of a barrel by themselves unique to a firearm? - Answers No. They
are class characteristics; individual characteristics come from irregularities caused by use or
wear.
What tool allows examiners to compare bullets or toolmarks side by side? - Answers
Comparison microscope.
What are the two main categories of firearms? - Answers Handguns (revolvers and pistols) and
long guns (rifles, shotguns, machine guns).
Why are handguns commonly used in crimes? - Answers Small, easy to conceal, and
ammunition is relatively accessible.
What kinds of questions can a firearms examiner answer? - Answers Type/caliber of weapon,
sequence of events, firearm functionality, and angle/distance of the shot.
How does firearms identification differ from ballistics? - Answers Firearms identification links a
weapon to a bullet or cartridge; ballistics studies the motion of projectiles.
What surfaces can toolmarks be found on? - Answers Wood, metal, paint, or any soft surface
impressed by a hard object.
Give examples of tools that leave microscopic striation marks. - Answers Saws, scissors,
screwdrivers, knives, pry bars, tire tools, and tin snips.
What components are found in all cartridges? - Answers Projectile (bullet), powder, primer, and
cartridge/shell case.
What distinguishes rim‑fire from center‑fire cartridges? - Answers The location of the
primer—rim of the base (rim‑fire) vs. center of the base (center‑fire).
What happens when the trigger is pulled? - Answers Firing pin strikes primer → primer ignites →
gunpowder burns → gases propel bullet down barrel.
What are common types of projectiles? - Answers Lead bullets, semi‑jacketed bullets, full‑metal
jacket (FMJ) bullets, shotgun slugs, and buckshot.
What problem do pure lead bullets have in semi‑automatic weapons? - Answers They can cause
, jamming in magazine-fed semi‑autos.
Why can lead bullets fail in high‑velocity rifles? - Answers They may melt or disintegrate in the
barrel due to heat and speed.
Why do lead bullets sometimes disintegrate on impact? - Answers Lead is soft and may break
apart when hitting hard surfaces.
Why are bullets often jacketed? - Answers To prevent jamming, melting, and disintegration;
reduce barrel fouling; improve feeding.
What metals are used for bullet jackets? - Answers Copper, brass, or alloys.
Name common bullet types and their purposes. - Answers Wad‑cutter - clean holes in targets;
Semi‑wad‑cutter - mix of cutting accuracy + penetration; Full‑metal jacket (FMJ) - penetration;
military use; Semi‑jacketed - mix of expansion + penetration; Soft‑point - expands upon impact;
Hollow‑point - major expansion; increases stopping power; Teflon‑coated - reduces barrel
friction; Frangible - disintegrates on impact.
What allows forensic firearm examiners to match a bullet to a particular weapon? - Answers
Individual characteristics—unique striations created by rifling, wear, use, and manufacturing
variations.
Do two firearms of the same make and model produce identical striations on bullets? - Answers
No. Even consecutively manufactured firearms have unique markings.
What is rifling and its purpose? - Answers Spiral grooves (lands and grooves) in a barrel that put
spin on the bullet for stability and accuracy.
What creates the striations on a bullet? - Answers The bullet traveling through the rifled barrel,
which imprints unique markings from lands and grooves and any wear or use of the firearm.
Name the class characteristics of bullets. - Answers Caliber (size), number of lands and grooves,
width of lands and grooves, degree of twist, direction of rifling twist.
Name the class characteristics of cartridge cases. - Answers Caliber, firing pin location, relative
location of extractor/ejector, primer type, extractor and ejector marks, firing pin size and shape,
breechface markings.
How is a suspect weapon tested for comparison? - Answers Test-fired into a water tank to
preserve bullet markings, producing known samples for comparison on a comparison
microscope.
What can a firearms examiner conclude after comparing bullets from a suspect weapon? -
Answers 1. Bullet was fired by the suspect gun. 2. Class characteristics and striations do not
match → suspect gun excluded. 3. Class characteristics match, striations do not →
Why is establishing linkages between suspect, victim, and crime scene important? - Answers It
helps identify the perpetrator by connecting objects (e.g., bullets, tools) to the suspect or crime
scene.
What creates individual markings on a bullet? - Answers Striations made by the lands and
grooves inside a gun barrel during rifling or through use/abuse.
Are the lands and grooves of a barrel by themselves unique to a firearm? - Answers No. They
are class characteristics; individual characteristics come from irregularities caused by use or
wear.
What tool allows examiners to compare bullets or toolmarks side by side? - Answers
Comparison microscope.
What are the two main categories of firearms? - Answers Handguns (revolvers and pistols) and
long guns (rifles, shotguns, machine guns).
Why are handguns commonly used in crimes? - Answers Small, easy to conceal, and
ammunition is relatively accessible.
What kinds of questions can a firearms examiner answer? - Answers Type/caliber of weapon,
sequence of events, firearm functionality, and angle/distance of the shot.
How does firearms identification differ from ballistics? - Answers Firearms identification links a
weapon to a bullet or cartridge; ballistics studies the motion of projectiles.
What surfaces can toolmarks be found on? - Answers Wood, metal, paint, or any soft surface
impressed by a hard object.
Give examples of tools that leave microscopic striation marks. - Answers Saws, scissors,
screwdrivers, knives, pry bars, tire tools, and tin snips.
What components are found in all cartridges? - Answers Projectile (bullet), powder, primer, and
cartridge/shell case.
What distinguishes rim‑fire from center‑fire cartridges? - Answers The location of the
primer—rim of the base (rim‑fire) vs. center of the base (center‑fire).
What happens when the trigger is pulled? - Answers Firing pin strikes primer → primer ignites →
gunpowder burns → gases propel bullet down barrel.
What are common types of projectiles? - Answers Lead bullets, semi‑jacketed bullets, full‑metal
jacket (FMJ) bullets, shotgun slugs, and buckshot.
What problem do pure lead bullets have in semi‑automatic weapons? - Answers They can cause
, jamming in magazine-fed semi‑autos.
Why can lead bullets fail in high‑velocity rifles? - Answers They may melt or disintegrate in the
barrel due to heat and speed.
Why do lead bullets sometimes disintegrate on impact? - Answers Lead is soft and may break
apart when hitting hard surfaces.
Why are bullets often jacketed? - Answers To prevent jamming, melting, and disintegration;
reduce barrel fouling; improve feeding.
What metals are used for bullet jackets? - Answers Copper, brass, or alloys.
Name common bullet types and their purposes. - Answers Wad‑cutter - clean holes in targets;
Semi‑wad‑cutter - mix of cutting accuracy + penetration; Full‑metal jacket (FMJ) - penetration;
military use; Semi‑jacketed - mix of expansion + penetration; Soft‑point - expands upon impact;
Hollow‑point - major expansion; increases stopping power; Teflon‑coated - reduces barrel
friction; Frangible - disintegrates on impact.
What allows forensic firearm examiners to match a bullet to a particular weapon? - Answers
Individual characteristics—unique striations created by rifling, wear, use, and manufacturing
variations.
Do two firearms of the same make and model produce identical striations on bullets? - Answers
No. Even consecutively manufactured firearms have unique markings.
What is rifling and its purpose? - Answers Spiral grooves (lands and grooves) in a barrel that put
spin on the bullet for stability and accuracy.
What creates the striations on a bullet? - Answers The bullet traveling through the rifled barrel,
which imprints unique markings from lands and grooves and any wear or use of the firearm.
Name the class characteristics of bullets. - Answers Caliber (size), number of lands and grooves,
width of lands and grooves, degree of twist, direction of rifling twist.
Name the class characteristics of cartridge cases. - Answers Caliber, firing pin location, relative
location of extractor/ejector, primer type, extractor and ejector marks, firing pin size and shape,
breechface markings.
How is a suspect weapon tested for comparison? - Answers Test-fired into a water tank to
preserve bullet markings, producing known samples for comparison on a comparison
microscope.
What can a firearms examiner conclude after comparing bullets from a suspect weapon? -
Answers 1. Bullet was fired by the suspect gun. 2. Class characteristics and striations do not
match → suspect gun excluded. 3. Class characteristics match, striations do not →
