Which term describes decomposition of body tissue occurring sometime between 40 and 96 hours after death?

Which term describes decomposition of body tissue occurring sometime between 40 and 96 hours after death?

• A. Abandonment
• B. Good Samaritan law
• C. Rigor mortis
• D. Putrefaction

Answer: (D)

Decomposition of body tissue occurring in that timeframe is putrefaction. After death, the body first undergoes changes like rigor mortis, where the muscles stiffen within a few hours and then dissipate over the next day or two. Putrefaction comes later as bacteria break down proteins in tissues, producing gases, discoloration, and a strong odor. In typical conditions, these decomposition processes become noticeable in the two- to four-day window after death, which aligns with the 40–96 hour range given. The other terms describe a legal protection for helping or the earlier stiffening, not the breakdown of tissues itself, so they don’t fit this particular change.

Decomposition of body tissue occurring in that timeframe is putrefaction. After death, the body first undergoes changes like rigor mortis, where the muscles stiffen within a few hours and then dissipate over the next day or two. Putrefaction comes later as bacteria break down proteins in tissues, producing gases, discoloration, and a strong odor. In typical conditions, these decomposition processes become noticeable in the two- to four-day window after death, which aligns with the 40–96 hour range given. The other terms describe a legal protection for helping or the earlier stiffening, not the breakdown of tissues itself, so they don’t fit this particular change.