Ch 8: Drugs & Substances in Forensic Science

1. Actions of Drugs on the Body: Pharmacodynamics

Pharmacodynamics studies the actions of drugs on the body. Learn the difference about agonist and antagonist drugs and how varying concentrations of these have different effects on specific targets within the body.

2. Physical vs Psychological Substance Dependence

Research shows that substance abuse needs to be treated on both the physical and psychological levels as people can experience different kinds of dependence. Learn more about the differences between physical and psychological substance dependencies as well as the impact of developing a tolerance to a drug.

3. Drug Tolerance & Drug Overdose

Drug use is often referred to as a steep slope, where one or two encounters can lead to dependence. In this lesson, learn about how this slope can steepen through the development of drug tolerance, which can lead to overdose and a host of other problems.

4. Relationships Between Drugs, Violence & Crime

The significant relationship between drug usage and violent crimes and incarceration has long been established by criminal scientists and psychologists. Learn more about the connection between illegal drugs and crime, and the importance of addressing mental health issues in users and offenders.

5. Effects of Narcotic Drugs on the Mind & Body

Narcotics is an umbrella term for addictive drugs that affect the mind. In this lesson, understand the dangers of narcotics by exploring their effects on the mind and body.

6. What Are Club Drugs? - Definition & Effects

Club drugs are relatively new forms of recreational drugs which can go by several different names. In this lesson, learn some of the slang names for these drugs, as well as their official scientific names, and examine how they work to alter brain chemistry.

7. Forensic Drug Analysis: Purpose & Process

Forensic drug analysis plays a vital role in criminal investigations. Discover the purpose of drug analysis and the process investigators use for collection, preservation, and analysis of drug evidence.

8. Chromatography in Forensic Science

Chromatography is the study of mixtures by separating them and examining their contents. Learn the processes in thin-layer chromatography, the significance of the retention factor, and how chromatography is used in forensic science.

9. Spectroscopy: Definition and Types

Spectroscopy uses electromagnetic radiation to determine the substance in a sample without destroying it. Learn how forensic labs analyze materials using spectroscopy, and the way spectrometers use radiation to arrive at conclusions about complex substances.

10. Infrared Spectroscopy in Forensics: Definition & Uses

Infrared energy has a longer wavelength than the visible spectrum. Explore how infrared spectroscopy (IR) is used to interpret infrared energy and create an identifiable spectrum and discover its applications in forensic science and homeland security.

11. Mass Spectrometry in Forensics: Definition & Uses

Mass spectrometry is a substance from a crime scene that is analyzed by a mass spectrometer in order to find the molecular makeup. Explore how mass spectrometry can be used to identify all kinds of evidence such as cloths, glass, dyes, metals, and even human tissue.