Which item is NOT an intrinsic factor affecting algor mortis?

Which item is NOT an intrinsic factor affecting algor mortis?

• A. Clothing
• B. Corpulence
• C. Age and vital signs
• D. Activity and metabolism

Answer: (A)

Algor mortis, the body’s postmortem cooling, depends mainly on internal body characteristics. Internal factors include how much mass the body has, the amount of fat insulation, and the metabolic state at death, which together influence how quickly heat is retained or lost. Age and prior vital signs reflect metabolic rate and overall physiology, while activity before death affects residual heat and energy stores—both internal aspects that shape the cooling curve. Clothing, however, is external to the body and changes how fast heat leaves the body by insulation or exposure, without changing the body's own heat production or retention properties. That makes clothing not an intrinsic factor, which is why it is the correct choice.

Algor mortis, the body’s postmortem cooling, depends mainly on internal body characteristics. Internal factors include how much mass the body has, the amount of fat insulation, and the metabolic state at death, which together influence how quickly heat is retained or lost. Age and prior vital signs reflect metabolic rate and overall physiology, while activity before death affects residual heat and energy stores—both internal aspects that shape the cooling curve. Clothing, however, is external to the body and changes how fast heat leaves the body by insulation or exposure, without changing the body's own heat production or retention properties. That makes clothing not an intrinsic factor, which is why it is the correct choice.