Fingerprints can be a fascinating subject for a science fair project. There are several different aspects of fingerprints to explore in a science fair format. Fingerprints make a great visual for a science fair trifold and the subject gets even young kids engaged. Everyone can relate to fingerprints.

Designing the Project

The first thing you'll need to determine is what kind of fingerprint experiment you want to conduct. Some possible topics include:

• Fingerprint similarity between family and non-related people
• Percentage of different fingerprint patterns in a random sample
• Readability of latent fingerprints left by different mediums (ie. sweat, blood, mud)

It's helpful to think about and articulate what first interested you in the topic and also what could be some results of your experiment. In other words, why do you care - and why should anyone else care?

Once you know what you're going to explore, create your hypothesis, or assumption about what you expect the results of your fingerprint science project to reveal. Make sure to state the basis of your expectations.

Collecting Fingerprints

Fingerprints can be recorded by applying special ink to the fingers and pressing down on a white card. This produces a copy of the fingerprints. (At crime scenes, fingerprints may be visible because he criminals fingers were soiled with blood, dirt, or other substances. Non-visible prints (latent) are left by perspiration or oils on the fingers.) For the purposes of a science project, regular ink will do the job.

Printable Fingerprint Card

You will only need a few household items for this project:

• Ink pad
• Magnifying glass
• Paper
• Ink pen

Label paper with the child's name. If you don't mind a mess, let the kids take each other's prints. But if you have nice fabric close by, let a parent help. Starting with the pinky finger of the left hand, press fingers into ink then touch to the paper. (Experts roll each finger from left to right to get a more thorough print.) Let the prints dry, then observe with the magnifying glass.

Presenting Results

When it's time to present your results, the more visual the better. Be sure to include graphs, pictures, and a sample of your experiment materials (ie. the fingerprints!)

Analyze your results, paying special attention to surprises and thing you learned or would have done differently.

Many science projects include a research component. There is a vast amount of information available on the history of the use of fingerprints by law enforcement.