FINGERPRINTS
The most common fingerprint pattern, making up about 60–65% of all prints.
What is a loop?
The measurement and analysis of biological traits used for identification.
What is biometrics?
The most common microscope used in forensic laboratories.
What is a compound light microscope?
Marks left on bullets when they travel through the barrel of a gun.
What are rifling marks?
The outermost layer of a hair shaft.
What is the cuticle?
The triangular region where ridge lines diverge in fingerprint patterns.
What is a delta?
This biometric method analyzes the colored ring around the pupil.
What is iris recognition?
The microscope used to examine two samples side-by-side.
What is a comparison microscope?
Characteristics shared by a group of firearms such as caliber or number of lands and grooves.
What are class characteristics?
The thick middle layer of hair containing pigment granules.
What is the cortex?
Ridge details such as ridge endings and bifurcations used for individualization.
What are minutiae?
This biometric identification analyzes speech patterns and vocal frequencies.
What is voice recognition?
The microscope component that controls the amount of light reaching the specimen.
What is the iris diaphragm?
Unique microscopic marks caused by imperfections in a firearm barrel.
What are individual characteristics?
The central canal of the hair shaft.
What is the medulla?
The three major fingerprint pattern classes used in classification.
What are loops, whorls, and arches?
Biometrics based on patterns like typing rhythm or walking style.
What are behavioral biometrics?
A microscope that uses electrons instead of light to achieve extremely high magnification.
What is an electron microscope?
The instrument used by firearm examiners to compare bullets and cartridge cases.
What is a comparison microscope?
The ratio comparing the diameter of the medulla to the diameter of the hair shaft.
What is the medullary index?
The system used by law enforcement to digitally store and search fingerprints.
What is AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System)?
The two major categories of biometric identification.
What are physiological and behavioral biometrics?
The ability of a microscope to distinguish two closely spaced objects as separate.
What is resolution?
Marks created when an object presses into a softer surface.
What are impression marks?
The two major categories of fibers analyzed in forensic science.
What are natural fibers and synthetic fibers?