Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Practice Exam

What characteristic do edges of glass that have been on the roadway for some time typically display?

1. Sharp

2. Rounded

3. Flattened

4. Brittle

The correct answer is: Rounded

The edges of glass that have been on the roadway for some time typically display a rounded characteristic. This rounding occurs due to weathering processes and physical interactions that happen over time, such as the impact of vehicular traffic, abrasion from road surfaces, and exposure to elements like wind and rain. These environmental factors gradually wear down the sharp edges of the glass, resulting in a smoother, rounded appearance. This phenomenon is crucial for forensic analysis and helps investigators understand how long the glass has been present on the roadway. Conversely, sharp edges are typically seen on fresh glass breakages that haven't had time to erode. Flattened edges might suggest compression or an impact from something heavy, while brittleness could indicate the glass's propensity to break under pressure, but these do not describe the typical state of weathered roadway glass.