Injuries and wounds: expanding bullet: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Injuries and wounds: expanding bullet

Sample item

A gunshot victim has a 9 mm entrance wound and a ragged 3 cm exit wound. The same weapon with standard military ammunition leaves a small clean exit wound. What difference in the ammunition most likely explains this?

AA full metal jacket that resists deformationBA reduced propellant charge giving low velocityCA hollow-point or soft-nosed bullet that expands on impactDA boat-tail base for stable flight

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. A hollow-point or soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact

Soft-nosed and hollow-point bullets expand or mushroom when they strike tissue, which increases the area crushed and transfers more energy, so the exit wound is large and ragged. A full metal jacket bullet keeps its shape and passes through with a smaller wound. Such bullets are restricted under international law for warfare.

Option by option

A. A full metal jacket that resists deformation
A full metal jacket holds its shape and gives a small clean exit.
B. A reduced propellant charge giving low velocity
Low velocity would reduce tissue damage, not increase it.
C. A hollow-point or soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact (correct)
Correct. Expansion on impact enlarges the track and the exit wound.
D. A boat-tail base for stable flight
A boat-tail base improves flight stability and does not make the bullet expand.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, A hollow-point or soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact. Soft-nosed and hollow-point bullets expand or mushroom when they strike tissue, which increases the area crushed and transfers more energy, so the exit wound is large and ragged.

Why is "A full metal jacket that resists deformation" not the answer?

A full metal jacket holds its shape and gives a small clean exit.

Why is "A reduced propellant charge giving low velocity" not the answer?

Low velocity would reduce tissue damage, not increase it.

Why is "A boat-tail base for stable flight" not the answer?

A boat-tail base improves flight stability and does not make the bullet expand.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: expanding bullet in Forensic Medicine. A full metal jacket bullet keeps its shape and passes through with a smaller wound. Such bullets are restricted under international law for warfare.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Injuries and wounds: expanding bullet?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.