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Well, I've only competed in Forensics once, but I know that you definitely need two competent partners. The way I'd split it up is one person starts off with the powder/polymer identification and the other person does the rest of the test (DNA, spatters, chromatography, etc.). Once one person finishes up their section they can help the other person finish theirs and/or help clean up. Of course, you can split it however you want, but I think some kind of split is necessary to be the most efficient.

EASTstroudsburg13 wrote:Well, I've only competed in Forensics once, but I know that you definitely need two competent partners. The way I'd split it up is one person starts off with the powder/polymer identification and the other person does the rest of the test (DNA, spatters, chromatography, etc.). Once one person finishes up their section they can help the other person finish theirs and/or help clean up. Of course, you can split it however you want, but I think some kind of split is necessary to be the most efficient.

We did that ... but I think it was a problem with speed as well as time management ...

who else is so happy this event is virtually exactly the same as last year ?(:

I have one week to prepare before invitationals. What are the most important things to learn?

BoldlyGoingNowhere wrote:I have one week to prepare before invitationals. What are the most important things to learn?

The rulebook has everything you should know for competition in it, but I'd probably say Qual and Polymers. Both take up quite a large chunk of your competition score. there's also the other things like the physical evidence and chromatography that are still important to know, but not nearly as much as the first two I mentioned. Think of the event as a whole as one big event, and all the subcategories as ... well ... little sub-events.

BoldlyGoingNowhere wrote:I have one week to prepare before invitationals. What are the most important things to learn?

I'd personally say go with qualitative analysis (specifically powders) and Analysis of the Crime. Even though Analysis is one section, knowing how to write it is important (and it makes up a substatial amount of your grade for the test).

hi does anyone know how to identify the polymers that we are not allowed to burn?

also, im having trouble identifying between sodium chloride and sodium acetate.

thanks!

Does anyone have the Wright State test??? Thanks!

sciolyynerdd wrote:hi does anyone know how to identify the polymers that we are not allowed to burn?

also, im having trouble identifying between sodium chloride and sodium acetate.

thanks!

Plastics are the only polymers that you are not allowed to burn ... but they do give you a bunch of liquids with various densities. That's right! You use the liquids and do multiple float-or-sink tests to determine the density (or the density range) of the substance. Once you determine density (or range), you can determine what plastic it is. Don't worry about knowing the densities of the substances because you can either create a flowchart for the plastics using the liquids in it, plus the supervisors generally give you the densities of the liquids.

As for sodium chloride and sodium acetate, I would say although sodium chloride can dissolve in sodium hydroxide while sodium acetate can't, pH would probably be the most accurate (that is, unless you contaminate your substances).

pikachu4919 wrote:

sciolyynerdd wrote:hi does anyone know how to identify the polymers that we are not allowed to burn?

also, im having trouble identifying between sodium chloride and sodium acetate.

thanks!

Plastics are the only polymers that you are not allowed to burn ... but they do give you a bunch of liquids with various densities. That's right! You use the liquids and do multiple float-or-sink tests to determine the density (or the density range) of the substance. Once you determine density (or range), you can determine what plastic it is. Don't worry about knowing the densities of the substances because you can either create a flowchart for the plastics using the liquids in it, plus the supervisors generally give you the densities of the liquids.

As for sodium chloride and sodium acetate, I would say although sodium chloride can dissolve in sodium hydroxide while sodium acetate can't, pH would probably be the most accurate (that is, unless you contaminate your substances).

One of the easiest ways to differentiate sodium chloride and sodium acetate is to dissolve both substances in water and smell them...sodium acetate generally smells like vinegar (it's actually used to flavor salt and vinegar chips) while sodium chloride smells like, well, nothing