HOSA Forensic Science Assessment Practice Test

Algor mortis refers to the process of body cooling after death. This occurs as the body's temperature gradually drops to match the surrounding environment. Typically, this cooling process is fairly predictable and can be measured to help estimate the time of death.

After death, the human body generally cools at a rate of approximately 1.5 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit per hour until it reaches ambient temperature. The process can last anywhere from several hours to a day or more, depending on various factors such as environmental conditions, clothing, body fat, and the immediate surroundings.

In forensic science, it is generally understood that algor mortis will often continue for about 12 hours before the body reaches equilibrium with the ambient temperature. Therefore, the option that states 12 hours is aligned with typical forensic observations regarding body temperature changes post-mortem and provides a time frame that reflects the usual cooling process observed in such investigations.