EXPERIMENT 1: BULLET TRAJECTORY ANALYSIS After an attempted bank...

EXPERIMENT 1: BULLET TRAJECTORY ANALYSIS After an attempted bank robbery, you are called to the crime scene. "You must interpret the events of the crime. You notice a security camera that has been disabled by gunfire. In addition to the damaged security camera, you find a bullet hole in the wall under the camera. In this experiment, you will analyze bullet trajectory to determine the approximate shoulder height of the suspect."

PROCEDURE 1. Use the ruler to measure the minor and major axes of the bullet hole (Figure 7, next page). Record the measurements in Table 1.

2. Use the equation sin ? = minor axis (mm)/major axis (mm) to determine the angle at which the bullet impacted the wall. Record the angle in Table 1.

3. Use a tape measure and masking tape to hang Figure 7 on a wall so that the bullet hole is located 80" from the floor.

4. Use the masking tape, string, and angle of impact to create a trajectory from the bullet hole to the ground.

5. As the investigation proceeds, a latent shoe print is recovered 45" from the wall with the bullet hole facing the wall.

6. Draw a diagram of the wall, floor, and bullet trajectory.

7. Use trigonometry to calculate the approximate shoulder height of the shooter. Record the approximate shoulder height in Table 1.

8. Check work by using the measuring tape to determine if the calculated shoulder height falls on the estimated trajectory of the bullet.

\fTable 1: Bullet Trajectory Data Bullet Hole Minor Axis (mm) Bullet Hole Major Axis (mm) Angle of Bullet Impact () Approximate Shoulder Height (inches)