Fingerprints 2023

Fingerprints: Inherited Ridges

Discover the fascinating world of fingerprints and the secrets they hold. Explore the science behind fingerprint analysis and its applications in forensic investigations. Uncover the unique patterns and characteristics that make each fingerprint truly one-of-a-kind. Your patterns are an inherited trait from your parents.

Multiple Choice

Are fingerprints inherited from your parents

• No
• Yes

According to criminal investigators, fingerprints follow 3 fundamental principles:

• A fingerprint is an individual characteristic; no two people have been found with the exact same fingerprint pattern.

• A fingerprint pattern will remain unchanged for the life of an individual; however, the print itself may change due to permanent scars and skin diseases.

• Fingerprints have general characteristic ridge patterns that allow them to be systematically identified.

Multiple Choice

• A fingerprint is an individual characteristic; no two people have been found with the ______ same fingerprint pattern.

• exact

• inherited

• phenotype

• different

Multiple Choice

• A fingerprint pattern will remain _________ for the life of an individual; however, the print itself may change due to permanent scars and skin diseases.

• changed

• unchanged

• phenotype

• exact

Multiple Choice

• Fingerprints have general characteristic ______ patterns that allow them to be systematically identified.

• similar

• different

• ridge

• cloned

Fingerprint Factoid: 

60% of people have loops, 35% have whorls, 

and 5% have arches

Multiple Choice

What is the most common fingerprint?

• Arch
• Whorl
• Loop

Did you know?

Dactyloscopy is the study of fingerprint identification.
Police investigators are experts in collecting “dactylograms”, otherwise known as fingerprints.

Multiple Choice

What is the study of fingerprint identification.

• dactylography
• ophthalmology
• dermatology
• podiatry

Fingerprint Patterns

• Arch: Ridges enter from one side and exit from the other, forming a wave-like pattern.

• Loop: Most common pattern, with one or more ridges entering from one side, curving around, and exiting from the same side.

• Whorl: Circular pattern with ridges forming concentric circles or spirals.

• Arch: Ridges enter from one side and exit from the other, forming a wave-like pattern.

Multiple Choice

Arch fingerprints?

• Enter one side and exit the opposite

• Do not enter the finger

• are circles

• They are a z shaped pattern

​Loop: Most common pattern, with one or more ridges entering from one side, curving around, and exiting from the same side.

Multiple Choice

Loop fingerprints

• Enter one side and exit the other side

• Enter one side and exit the same side

• Form a center circle

• Are a z shape

Whorl Fingerprint Pattern

Trivia: Whorl fingerprint pattern is characterized by ridges forming concentric circles or spirals. It is the second most common fingerprint pattern, accounting for approximately 30% of all fingerprints. Other common patterns include loops, arches, and tented arches. Fun Fact: Each person's fingerprint pattern is unique and can be used for identification purposes.

Multiple Choice

Which fingerprint pattern is characterized by ridges forming concentric circles or spirals?

• Loop

• Whorl

• Arch

• Tented Arch

Multiple Choice

The whorl fingerprint has the following characteristics?

• One or more ridges that do not make a complete circuit, two deltas, and a core.
• No ridges that make a complete circuit, one delta, and no core.
• One or more ridges that make a complete circuit, two deltas, and a core.
• Multiple deltas and no core.

Let's Check your understanding

​What finger print is this?

Multiple Choice

What finger print is it?

• Arch

• Loop

• Whorl

​​What finger print is this?

Multiple Choice

What finger print is this?

• Arch

• Loop

• Whorl

Once you are done with the lesson see Mr. Harrington for your Lab Materials.