Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a detective? Then it’s time to get out your magnifying glass and put your skills to the test with this fingerprint science experiment!
Materials:
Black construction paper, a smooth surface (a glass cup, door knob or your phone screen), flour, tape, makeup brush
Time Estimated:
15 minutes
Directions:
First, press each of your fingers against a smooth surface.
Next, dip your makeup brush into the flour and shake off the excess. Make sure that you do not apply too much flour!
Now, gently tap the makeup brush onto the smooth surface. Make sure not to press down too hard. You don’t want to brush your prints away!
Finally, blow off the excess flour and carefully place the tape over the fingerprint. Now, place the tape onto the paper and observe!
Think Like a Scientist:
What will happen if too much flour is applied to the makeup brush? What about if too little is added?
Explanation of Science:
In this activity, you were able to study dactyloscopy! This is the science behind fingerprints and is used all the time by forensic scientists to investigate crime scenes!
There are typically three major types of patterns that can be found in our fingerprints. These patterns include arches, loops, and whorls. Arches can be identified by looking for patterns in the shape of a line or hill. Loops can be seen as lines that fold back on themselves. They look sort of like a hairpin/bobby pin! Finally, whorls can be found by looking for circles or lines that resemble a whirlpool!
Now that you know a little bit more about dactyloscopy, or fingerprint analysis, try the experiment again on your friends and family and see if you can identify any similarities and differences in your prints!
Further Exploration:
Did you know that everyone has their own, unique set of fingerprints? Even twins don’t have identical fingerprints! This is why they are so helpful for detectives because each set of prints can help them identify a specific person! Although everyone’s fingerprints are unique, your patterns may look very similar to someone in your family!
Looking for the perfect gift for your scientist?
Check out our workbook full of science experiments and empowering activities!
Find it here!
