In Medical Forensics, students conducted a fiber burn analysis to practice one of the foundational techniques used in forensic trace evidence examination. Each student was given six different fabric samples to burn and observe closely. As the fibers burned, students noted key characteristics such as the flame behavior, the smell produced, and whether the residue formed a hard bead or soft ash—important clues for distinguishing natural fibers from synthetic ones.
After becoming familiar with these burn patterns, students were given a burned fabric sample collected from a mock crime scene. Their task was to identify the mystery fabric by comparing its burn characteristics to the samples they had already tested. Through this process, students applied observational skills and scientific reasoning to determine which fiber type matched the crime scene evidence, mirroring real forensic analysis techniques.