Human decomposition has a few more steps than the decomposition of animals and plants, but is a bit easier to describe without scientifically refering to the processes that are actually occuring. After the human heart stops beating the human body starts breaking down and going throught what is sometimes refered to as "the stages of death", which are, in order, fresh decomposition (consisting of Pallor mortis, Algor mortis, Rigor mortis, and Livor mortis), Decomposition(of which fresh decomposition is a part of along with 4 other types,Bloat, Active decay, Advanced Decay, and Dry/Remains), and Skeletonization.
Pallor Mortis (paleness of death): Almost imidiatly after death a body of a person with light skin will begin to grow very pale. this is caused by a lack of blood in the Capillary region of the blood vessel. In a fully functioning body, that is alive, the skin is the color it is because blood is rushing through all the veins and vessels that are woven throughout the body. in a dead body the blood no longer runs, and starts to succumb to gravity and to sink to the part of the body that is facing down, this is also the beginning of a later stage of livor mortis
Algor mortis(cool of death): after death a human body will no longer be working to keep warm, and as a result will start cooling. about an hour postmortem (after death) a human body will have decreased around 2 degrees celcius, and will continue to decrease one degree celcius until it reaches the temperature of the environment around it
Rigor Mortis(death stiffness): about three hours after death a chemical change in the muscles of a human corpse causes the limbs of the corpse to become stiff and difficult to move. maximum rigor is reached at about 12-24 hours after death, the muscles in a humans face are affected first, with the rigor then spreading to other parts of the body. The corpse is stiff for 1-3 days, and after this time tissue decay and leaking digestive enzymes cause the body to start to relax and become soft again as it slowly decomposes.
Livor Mortis(bluish color of death) or postmortem lividity: Within 6-12 hours after death a humans body will no longer have a pumping heart to circulate all the blood that is in the body. because of this there is nothing to stop the effect of gravity, and all the blood will start to move with gravity towards the part of the body closest to the ground causing a purplish red discoloration of the skin.. This discoloration does not occur in the areas of the body that are in contact with the ground or another object, as the capillaries are compressed
The next part of the grousome process that is our decomposition is the actual decomposition of our body, the five stages of human decomposition
Pallor Mortis (paleness of death): Almost imidiatly after death a body of a person with light skin will begin to grow very pale. this is caused by a lack of blood in the Capillary region of the blood vessel. In a fully functioning body, that is alive, the skin is the color it is because blood is rushing through all the veins and vessels that are woven throughout the body. in a dead body the blood no longer runs, and starts to succumb to gravity and to sink to the part of the body that is facing down, this is also the beginning of a later stage of livor mortis
Algor mortis(cool of death): after death a human body will no longer be working to keep warm, and as a result will start cooling. about an hour postmortem (after death) a human body will have decreased around 2 degrees celcius, and will continue to decrease one degree celcius until it reaches the temperature of the environment around it
Rigor Mortis(death stiffness): about three hours after death a chemical change in the muscles of a human corpse causes the limbs of the corpse to become stiff and difficult to move. maximum rigor is reached at about 12-24 hours after death, the muscles in a humans face are affected first, with the rigor then spreading to other parts of the body. The corpse is stiff for 1-3 days, and after this time tissue decay and leaking digestive enzymes cause the body to start to relax and become soft again as it slowly decomposes.
Livor Mortis(bluish color of death) or postmortem lividity: Within 6-12 hours after death a humans body will no longer have a pumping heart to circulate all the blood that is in the body. because of this there is nothing to stop the effect of gravity, and all the blood will start to move with gravity towards the part of the body closest to the ground causing a purplish red discoloration of the skin.. This discoloration does not occur in the areas of the body that are in contact with the ground or another object, as the capillaries are compressed
The next part of the grousome process that is our decomposition is the actual decomposition of our body, the five stages of human decomposition
