Rigor mortis is a concept in forensic science describing which phenomenon?

Rigor mortis is a concept in forensic science describing which phenomenon?

• A. Rigor mortis
• B. Livor mortis
• C. Algor mortis
• D. Putrefaction

Answer: (A)

Rigor mortis is the postmortem stiffening of skeletal muscles as ATP stores are depleted, causing actin and myosin cross-bridges to lock and prevent relaxation. It typically starts a few hours after death, beginning with the face and neck and progressing to larger muscle groups, reaches maximum stiffness around 12 hours, and then dissipates over the next day or two as tissues decompose. Temperature affects the timing and duration—warmer conditions speed onset and shorten duration, cooler conditions slow onset. This differs from livor mortis, the pooling and color change of blood in dependent areas; algor mortis, the cooling of the body toward ambient temperature; and putrefaction, the decomposition driven by bacteria.

Rigor mortis is the postmortem stiffening of skeletal muscles as ATP stores are depleted, causing actin and myosin cross-bridges to lock and prevent relaxation. It typically starts a few hours after death, beginning with the face and neck and progressing to larger muscle groups, reaches maximum stiffness around 12 hours, and then dissipates over the next day or two as tissues decompose. Temperature affects the timing and duration—warmer conditions speed onset and shorten duration, cooler conditions slow onset. This differs from livor mortis, the pooling and color change of blood in dependent areas; algor mortis, the cooling of the body toward ambient temperature; and putrefaction, the decomposition driven by bacteria.