Effects of Parent’s Fingerprint on Child’s Fingerprint Essay Sample

The testable question I chose for this project is does a parent’s fingerprint have an effect on their child’s fingerprint? I chose this topic because I viewed it as something fascinating and interesting. I also chose this topic because it seemed like something essential to know. The significance in knowing the answer to this question is to learn more about family dynamics. 

To develop this project I needed some background information. The most necessary background knowledge I need to have is how a fingerprint is formed, how to identify a certain individual from their fingerprint, and other people's research and theories. How is a fingerprint formed? A fingerprint is formed when an individual is developing in their mother’s stomach. Fingerprints are developed in the embryo before a person is born. Fingerprints are usually fully developed about half-way through a pregnancy. How do you identify a person from their fingerprints? Fingerprint identification is based totally on identification of arcs, loops, and whorls. There is stored data with pictures of fingerprints. Identification is carried out in three different steps. Step 1: a picture is taken of a fingerprint. The picture can be taken with a camera or digitally. Either way you take the picture the end result will be a digital black and white photograph of the fingerprint. Step 2: the fingerprint is then changed into a numerical model that stores a fingerprint’s unique characteristics. Step 3: the recognized numerical model is compared to stored numerical models to identify similarities. These three steps are the way fingerprints are compared/identified. Fingerprint identification is used to identify a specific person. It can be used to open a lock, use a machine, or background searches. What theories do other people have on whether fingerprints can be inherited or not? It is a common fact that every fingerprint is one-of-a-kind. Fingerprints are based on the pattern of skin ridges on a finger. Whorls, arcs, and loops can be similar on people’s fingerprints, but the exact details are different for each person. Research shows that numerous people have found that fingerprints can be/are inherited from parents and are passed down to their children.

My hypothesis for this testable question is “If someone records fingerprint patterns from parents and their children, then it will show they have similar patterns and that fingerprints are inherited.” A couple quick glances at numerous online articles helped me create this conclusion. How a fingerprint is formed, how to identify someone’s fingerprint, and others theories to if fingerprints can be inherited help me prove this point. The way a fingerprint is formed indicates that a child develops 50% of their genetics from each parent meaning they should have similar aspects of both of their parents fingerprints. Identifying someone by their fingerprint explains loops, whorls, and archs. Knowing about loops, whorls, and archs helps me determine if the fingerprints are alike or not. Other people’s opinions/research on inheritance of fingerprints shows there are going to be similarities in full siblings, parents, and other family members. This information draws the conclusion that fingerprints can be inherited from parents and/or family members.

For my experiment I tested the inheritance of fingerprints. The controlled variables in the experiment were the way the fingerprints were being tested/taken. This was the controlled variable in the experiment because changing the way I took the fingerprints would have completely changed the experiment and added a completely different aspect to it. The independent variable is the family members while the dependent variable is the number of family members with similar fingerprints. To perform my experience I had to perform a series of steps. The initial step is to gather all the materials needed to perform the experiment. (Materials listed on materials list.) The second step is to gather all the test subjects (3 families with at least 3 members each.) Next, wipe each person’s thumb with a wet paper towel to get rid of any previously leftover oils. Then, press the person’s thumb onto an ink pad, making sure the thumb is fully covered. Then, press the thumb onto a piece of printer paper and label it. After that, clean the test subject’s finger with another wet paper towel to remove all leftover ink. After collecting the fingerprint, label it to know what fingerprint belongs to whom. Repeat all of these steps for every family member/test subject. Now that all the fingerprints are collected look at each family’s fingerprint, each family separately. While observing each family’s fingerprints check if the fingerprints share the 3 basic shapes: loops, whorls, and arcs. The final step is to gather all the information needed and place it onto a backboard. I performed this experiment 3 different times (once for each family.) 

I noticed that all the test subjects (each individual family) shared a certain aspect in their fingerprints. Family one shared the aspect of an arch. Family number two shared the aspect of a loop. The third family shared the aspect of a whorl. After conducting research, I have found that fingerprints could be inherited.

The data I collected supports my hypothesis, if someone records fingerprint patterns from parents and their children, then it will show they possess similar patterns and that fingerprints are inherited. My hypothesis was correct meaning that the fingerprints I collected had similar elements, which shows they can be inherited. I was able to tell this because I took fingerprints and studied all of them. I had three participating households that each gave me the fingerprint of their thumb. Family number one shared the aspect of an arch meaning there were no deltas visible in the fingerprints. The second family shared the aspect of a loop meaning only one delta was visible in the recorded fingerprint. Family three shared the aspect of a whorl meaning the fingerprints had multiple deltas.