|
|
Article: Analytical Instrumentation
- Article from:
- World of Forensic Science
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Thomson Gale. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Analytical Instrumentation
Forensic science
can involve determinations of the presence or absence of compounds or materials. For example, if a victim has died of a stab wound, then noting that a knife was found near the body can be an important piece of
evidence
in trying to decipher the details of the death.
This sort of presence or absence level of detail produces qualitative information. The data does not have an amount associated with it or information concerning the composition of a sample.
In contrast, other useful information can be gained by quantitative examinations; examinations that tell how much of a material is contained within a sample. For example, if the knife noted ...