Which process describes the cooling of the body after death?

• A. Rigor mortis
• B. Autolysis
• C. Algor mortis
• D. Lividity

Answer: (C)

Cooling of the body after death is described by algor mortis. After death, the body loses heat to the surrounding environment as it gradually comes to ambient temperature. The rate of cooling depends on factors like the surrounding temperature, clothing, air movement, and the person’s body size and composition, so the exact timing varies. This process is used, along with other clues, to help estimate time since death, but it isn’t precise on its own. Other postmortem changes—rigor mortis (muscle stiffening), autolysis (self-digestion by enzymes), and lividity (blood settling and discoloration)—occur later or describe different phenomena and are not about cooling.