Algor mortis - Wikipedia Algor mortis Stages of death Pallor mortis Algor mortis Rigor mortis Livor mortis Putrefaction Decomposition Skeletonization Algor mortis ( Latin : algor -- coldness ; mortis -- of death ), the second stage of death, is the change in body temperature post mortem, until the ambient temperature is matched. This is generally a steady decline, although if the ambient temperature is above the body temperature ( such as in a hot desert ), the change in temperature will be positive, as the ( relatively ) cooler body acclimates to the warmer environment. External factors can have a significant influence. Algor mortis also occurs when the body dies. This was first used by DOWLER in 1849. The first published measurements of the intervals of temperature after death were done by Dr John Davey in 1839. Contents 1 Applicability 2 Variability 3 References 4 External links Applicability An XY plot of the Glaister equation with values from 37 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius ( a commonly used ambient temperature ). A measured rectal temperature can give some indication of the time of death. Although the heat conduction which leads to body cooling follows an exponential decay curve, it can be approximated as a linear process : 2 ° Celsius during the first hour and 1 ° Celsius per hour until the body nears ambient temperature. The Glaister equation estimates the hours elapsed since death as a linear function of the rectal temperature : ( 36.9 ∘ C − rectal temperature in Celsius ) ⋅ 6 5 ( displaystyle ( 36.9 ^ ( circ ) C - ( \text ( rectal temperature in Celsius ) ) ) cdot ( \frac ( 6 ) ( 5 ) ) ) or 98.4 ∘ F − rectal temperature in Fahrenheit 1.5 ( displaystyle ( \frac ( 98.4 , ^ ( circ ) ( \rm ( F ) ) - ( \text ( rectal temperature in Fahrenheit ) ) ) ( 1.5 ) ) ) As decomposition occurs the internal body temperature tends to rise again. Variability Generally, temperature change is considered an inaccurate means of determining time of death, as the rate of change is affected by several key factors, including : Stability or fluctuation of the ambient temperature. The level and thickness of clothing or similar materials. The thermal conductivity of the surface on which a body lies. Diseases or drugs which increase body temperature and thereby raise the starting temperature of the corpse at the time of death The existence of a `` temperature plateau '', a highly variable length of time in which the body does not cool. References Jump up ^ Madea, Burkhard ( 2015 ). Estimation of the Time Since Death, Third Edition. CRC Press. Jump up ^ http://www.fmap.archives.gla.ac.uk/DC403/DC403_page.htm Jump up ^ Guharaj, P.V. ( 2003 ). `` Cooling of the body ( algor mortis ) ''. Forensic Medicine ( 2nd ed. ). Hyderabad : Longman Orient. pp. 61 -- 62. Jump up ^ http://www.crimewatchcanada.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79:changes-to-a-body-after-death&catid=41:january-february-2010-issue-76&Itemid=53 Jump up ^ Kaliszan, M. ( 20 May 2005 ). `` Verification of the exponential model of body temperature decrease after death in pigs ''. Experimental Physiology. 90 ( 5 ) : 727 -- 738. doi : 10.1113 / expphysiol. 2005.030551. Saferstein, Richard ( 2004 ). Criminalistics An Introduction to Forensic Science ( 8th ed. ). Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 0 - 13 - 113706 - 9. Karen T. Taylor, `` Forensic art and illustration '', CRC Press, 2000, ISBN 0 - 8493 - 8118 - 5, p. 308 Robert G. Mayer, `` Embalming : history, theory, and practice '', McGraw - Hill Professional, 2005, ISBN 0 - 07 - 143950 - 1, p. 106 Calixto Machado, `` Brain death : a reappraisal '', Springer, 2007, ISBN 0 - 387 - 38975 - X, pp. 73 -- 74 External links Standards Employed to Determine Time of Death Estimation of the time since death ( by rectal temperature, C. Henssge, 2004 ). Death Outline In medicine Cell death Necrosis Avascular necrosis Coagulative necrosis Liquefactive necrosis Gangrenous necrosis Caseous necrosis Fat necrosis Fibrinoid necrosis Temporal lobe necrosis Programmed cell death AICD Anoikis Apoptosis Autophagy Intrinsic apoptosis Necroptosis Paraptosis Parthanatos Phenoptosis Pseudoapoptosis Pyroptosis Autolysis Autoschizis Eschar Immunogenic cell death Ischemic cell death Pyknosis Karyorrhexis Karyolysis Mitotic catastrophe Suicide gene Abortion Autopsy Brain death Brainstem death Clinical death DOA Death by natural causes Death rattle Dysthanasia End - of - life care Euthanasia Lazarus sign Lazarus syndrome Medical definition of death Organ donation Terminal illness Unnatural death Lists Causes of death by rate Expressions related to death Natural disasters People by cause of death Premature obituaries Preventable causes of death Notable deaths by year Unusual deaths TV actors who died during production Mortality Birthday effect Child mortality Gompertz -- Makeham law of mortality Immortality Biological Digital Infant mortality Karōshi Maternal death Maternal mortality in fiction Memento mori Micromort Mortality displacement Mortality rate RAMR Mortality salience Perinatal mortality After death Body Stages Pallor mortis Algor mortis Rigor mortis Livor mortis Putrefaction Decomposition Skeletonization Fossilization Preservation Cryopreservation Cryonics Neuropreservation Embalming Maceration Mummification Plastination Prosection Taxidermy Disposal Burial Bed burial Burial at sea Chariot burial Jar burial Natural burial Premature burial Secondary burial Ship burial Sky burial Space burial Cannibalism Cremation Dismemberment Excarnation Promession Resomation Beating heart cadaver Body donation Cadaveric spasm Coffin birth Death erection Dissection Gibbeting Postmortem Caloricity Post-mortem interval Other aspects Afterlife Cemetery Consciousness Customs Death mask Eternal oblivion Examination Funeral Grief Intermediate state Internet Mourning Obituary Resurrection Taboo on the dead Vigil Paranormal Ghosts Near - death experience Near - death studies Necromancy Out - of - body experience Reincarnation research Séance Legal Abortion law Administration Capital punishment Cause of death Civil death Coroner Death - qualified jury Death certificate Declared death in absentia Death row Dying declaration Faked death Inquest Legal death Murder Prohibition of death Right to die Suspicious death Trust law Will Fields Forensic pathology Funeral director Mortuary science Necrobiology Post-mortem chemistry Post-mortem photography Taphonomy Biostratinomy Thanatology Other Apparent death Dark tourism Darwin Awards Dead pool Death and culture Death anniversary Death anxiety Death deity Personification of death Dying - and - rising god Psychopomp Death camp Death drive Death education Death from laughter Death hoax Death knell Death march Death messenger Death notification Death panel Death poem Death pose Death squad Death threat Death trajectory Dignified death Extinction Fan death Festival of the Dead Fascination with death Homicide Information - theoretic death Last rites Martyr Megadeath Museum of Death Necronym Necrophilia Necrophobia The Order of the Good Death Predation Sacrifice human animal Spiritual death Suicide Assisted suicide Thanatosensitivity Undead Voodoo death Portal WikiProject This medical sign article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This death - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This article related to Latin words and phrases is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Algor_mortis&oldid=799994671 '' Categories : Signs of death Latin medical phrases Post-mortem Medical sign stubs Death stubs Latin words and phrases stubs Hidden categories : All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016 All stub articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Čeština Deutsch Español हिन्दी Italiano 日本 語 ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Polski Português Русский Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 September 2017, at 01 : 24. About Wikipedia

Question: how does algor mortis determine time of death
Answer: change in body temperature