What is the definition of physical evidence in the context of crime investigation?

Physical evidence in the context of crime investigation is defined as any tangible object that can be perceived through the senses. This includes everything that can be seen, touched, smelled, or tasted, making it a broad category that encompasses various forms of evidence collected at a crime scene. The reason for this definition is that physical evidence can provide crucial information about the incident, helping to establish facts such as whether a crime occurred, who was involved, and how it happened.

This definition is particularly important because it includes items that may not only be seen or touched, like fingerprints and blood samples, but also evidence that may emit distinct smells, such as gunpowder, or even substances that could be tasted, although tasting is not typically a method used in crime scene investigations for safety and contamination reasons.

Other options would limit the definition in ways that do not capture the full scope of what physical evidence can entail. For example, asserting that physical evidence can only be seen and touched would exclude many types of evidence that are detectable through other senses. Similarly, including only digital data or chemical substances fails to recognize the wide variety of physical evidence that can be present in different crime scenarios.