ABSTRACT
Projectiles have distinctive wounding characteristics that make it unlikely that they will be mistaken for other types of trauma. Usually, bullets impact bone with so much force that they easily penetrate bone surfaces, causing the readily recognizable circular or oval entrance wounds. If they have enough energy, they will exit the bone, often leaving an irregular opening with jagged edges. Also, fracture lines are usually associated with both entrance and exit wounds. Because of these factors, forensic anthropologists can sometimes provide information on the type of fi rearm (e.g., handgun, rifl e, or shotgun), characteristics of projectile (e.g., jacketed or hollow point), placement of the weapon in relation to the victim, and sequence of wounds (if multiple). You should be aware of these possibilities when analyzing this type of trauma, and when doing this lab.
