Free Thanatology practice for NEET PG and INI-CET Forensic Medicine, with a written explanation on every question.
10 questions · Free explanations
Showing 1–10 of 10 questions
Q1 · Rigor Mortis
NEET PGEasyExplanation
Rigor mortis begins 1 to 2 hours after death, involves the whole body by about 12 hours, persists for roughly 12 hours and passes off over 24 to 36 hours, with values varying by temperature. It follows Nysten's rule, descending from face to lower limbs.
Q2 · Cadaveric Spasm
NEET PGMediumExplanation
Cadaveric spasm occurs at the instant of death with no preceding primary flaccidity, freezing the last voluntary action. It cannot be reproduced artificially and has medicolegal value in indicating suicide, struggle or drowning.
Q3 · Postmortem Lividity
NEET PGEasyExplanation
Carbon monoxide, and also cyanide, poisoning produces cherry-red lividity due to carboxyhaemoglobin. Cold exposure gives a bright pink hue, while brown or chocolate lividity suggests methaemoglobin-forming poisons.
Q4 · Algor Mortis
MediumExplanation
Algor mortis is the progressive cooling of the body after death towards ambient temperature. It helps estimate the time since death but is influenced by body size, clothing and environmental conditions.
Q5 · Putrefaction
NEET PGMediumExplanation
The first external sign of putrefaction is greenish discolouration over the right iliac fossa, overlying the gas-rich, bacteria-laden caecum, typically appearing 12 to 18 hours after death in a temperate climate.
Q6 · Casper's Dictum
HardExplanation
Casper's dictum states that a body putrefies in air, water and earth in the ratio 1 : 2 : 8. One week in air equals two weeks in water equals eight weeks buried, given comparable conditions.
Q7 · Adipocere
MediumExplanation
Adipocere, or grave wax, forms in warm, moist conditions through hydrolysis and hydrogenation of body fat into a greyish-white greasy substance. It preserves body features and indicates the body lay in a damp environment.
Q8 · Mummification
MediumExplanation
Mummification occurs in hot, dry, well-ventilated conditions where rapid dehydration outpaces putrefaction, leaving the body shrivelled and preserved. Like adipocere, it can preserve identifying features and wounds.
Q9 · Stomach Contents
HardExplanation
An average meal typically leaves the stomach in about 4 to 6 hours, so gastric contents help estimate the interval between the last meal and death. This is only an approximation, affected by meal type and individual variation.
Q10 · Brain-stem Death
EasyExplanation
Brain-stem death is diagnosed clinically by demonstrating absent brain-stem reflexes and a positive apnoea test, performed by qualified doctors on two occasions after excluding reversible causes. It is the basis for deceased organ donation.
Thanatology sits within Forensic Medicine, which carries the same syllabus in both exams. This set runs to 10 questions, each tagged Easy, Medium or Hard, 2 of them at Hard, and 4 drawn from previous-year papers.
Answer first, then read the explanation even on the ones you got right — the reasoning is where Thanatology marks are actually won, and it is what separates a recalled fact from a question you can solve in a new form. Once the Easy set feels comfortable, filter to Hard to find the gaps Forensic Medicine examiners keep returning to.
FAQ
Yes. Every question and explanation in this Thanatology set is free and open — no login, no form and no payment. The explanation appears the moment you answer.
Thanatology sits within Forensic Medicine, which appears in the same form in both syllabuses. Forensic pathology and toxicology, an exam-focused subject where a small syllabus reliably returns a fixed number of questions.
No. No account, no password, no OTP. Answer in the browser and your answers stay on your device for the session.