In bloodstain pattern analysis, what does spatter morphology refer to?

In bloodstain pattern analysis, what does spatter morphology refer to?

• A. The donor’s identity.
• B. The chemical composition of the blood.
• C. The substrate's color.
• D. The size, shape, and distribution of spatter stains.

Answer: (B)

Spatter morphology is about the physical characteristics of the stains—their size, shape, edges, and how they’re distributed across the surface. From these details you infer how the blood was deposited: the velocity of impact influences droplet size and whether there are satellites; the angle of impact shapes stains (more elongated forms suggest a more oblique hit). The overall pattern helps estimate distance from the source and can indicate the sequence of events. It does not identify who donated the blood, nor reveal its chemical makeup, and while the surface color can affect visibility, morphology itself is about the stains’ physical form.

Spatter morphology is about the physical characteristics of the stains—their size, shape, edges, and how they’re distributed across the surface. From these details you infer how the blood was deposited: the velocity of impact influences droplet size and whether there are satellites; the angle of impact shapes stains (more elongated forms suggest a more oblique hit). The overall pattern helps estimate distance from the source and can indicate the sequence of events. It does not identify who donated the blood, nor reveal its chemical makeup, and while the surface color can affect visibility, morphology itself is about the stains’ physical form.