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Lifting Fingerprints

 

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Subject: 
Science
Type: 
Activity Ideas
Grade: 
K-2
3-5
What do I need?: 
  • Baby powder or other fine powder
  • Small brush
  • Scotch tape
  • Dark color paper construction paper
  • A smooth flat surface
  • Your fingerprints
What do I do?: 
  1. Press your finger on a smooth, flat surface.
  2. Sprinkle a bit of powder on the spot.
  3. Gently brush off the excess powder.
  4. Place a strip of clear tape on the powdered print.
  5. Lift the tape off (the print should be visible), and place it on a contrasting paper.
  6. Find prints around your home! What shape are they? Arches, Loops, or Whorls?

 

What's going on?: 

Every person has unique fingerprints that can leave invisible marks on anything they touch! The skin on our fingers is coated with sweat and oils that stamps invisible fingerprints on doorknobs, glasses and all other surfaces! These finger prints can be sorted into 2 main types: arch, loop and whorl.

 

Because they can easily be left behind on many surfaces, fingerprints are a great piece fv evidence for detectives and forensic scientists to use.

 

To make a finger print to be visible to the naked eye, detectives and forensic scientists dust for fingerprints using lycopodium powder.

 

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