Forensic lab #2

1. What scientific ideas or theories would help you explain why you are able to use the procedures to analyze evidence?

In all of the labs there has been scientific ideas and theories that explained why the procedures we used to analyze the evidence worked. However for most of the scientific ideas I had no idea why it worked. For example In the "Ink is still wet" lab the alcohol made the ink grow and separate yet I had no idea why the alcohol caused separation. In the "Killer Coffee" lab as well as the "Ink is still wet" lab we used a colorimeter to determine the absorption. The colorimeter was another procedure we did that I wasn't sure how it calculated the absorption.

2. How has your approach to lab procedures changed from the first round of labs? Are you more/less confident in your results?

I realized during these labs how vital reading the directions closely is. For this round of labs I went to the labs more clear and confident on what I was doing. Since I was more comfortable in the steps I took during the lab I was more confident in my results. I was also more comfortable with the procedures or tools I used during the second round labs. Since this was my second round of labs I had less questions about the tools used and more experience using them.