Research Essay Example: Does a Parent’s Fingerprint Have an Effect on Their Child’s Fingerprint?

The testable question I have selected for my project is “does a parent’s fingerprint have an effect on their child’s fingerprint?” I decided to select this topic mainly because I believed it was something fascinating as well as interesting. The significance of understanding the answer to this question is to learn more about family dynamics. 

To further develop this project, I needed to collect 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. The first component I researched was how are fingerprints formed? After various amounts of research, I found that fingerprints are formed when an individual is developing in their mother’s stomach and are developed in the embryo before an individual is born. Fingerprints are usually fully developed about half-way through a pregnancy. Next I searched up how you identify an individual by their fingerprints? Fingerprint identification is based totally on identification of arcs, loops, and whorls. I developed an understanding of how fingerprints are stored. There is data stored 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. However, 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. I realized that these three steps are how 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 to conduct background searches. The final thing I researched was what theories do other individuals 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 each person's fingerprints, but the exact details vary for each person. Research has indicated that numerous people believe 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 of quick glances at numerous online articles helped me develop this conclusion. How a fingerprint is formed, how to identify someone’s fingerprint, and different theories as to if fingerprints can be inherited helped were the most crucial background information that helped me prove this point. A specific article states that the way a fingerprint is formed indicates that a child develops 50% of their genetics from each parent. This means they should share similar aspects to both of their parents’ fingerprints. Identifying someone by their fingerprint explains loops, whorls, and arcs. Knowing about loops, whorls, and arcs helps me come to the conclusion of whether the fingerprints are alike or not. A whorl has multiple deltas, a loop consists of one delta, and an arc fingerprint contains no deltas. Other people’s opinions/research on inheritance of fingerprints indicates that there are going to be similarities in full siblings, parents, and other family members. This information helped draw the conclusion that fingerprints can be inherited from parents and/or other family members.

For my experiment, I tested the inheritance of fingerprints. The controlled variables in this 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 altered the experiment and added an absolutely 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 stated on materials list.) The second step is to gather all the test subjects (3 families with at least 3 contributors each.) Next, wipe each person’s thumb with a moist paper towel to get rid of any previously leftover oils. Then, press the person’s thumb onto an ink pad, being certain that the thumb is entirely 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 household separately. While observing each family’s fingerprints, check if the fingerprints share the 3 basic shapes: loops, whorls, or arcs. I carried this out 3 different times (once for each family.) The final step is to gather all the information needed and place it onto a backboard.

I noticed that all the test subjects (each individual family) shared a certain aspect in their fingerprints. Family one shared the component 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 determined that fingerprints can be inherited.

The data I have 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, indicating they can be inherited. I was able to tell this because I took fingerprints and studied them all. I had three participating households that each gave me the fingerprint of their thumb. Family number one shared the aspect of an arc, meaning there were no deltas visible in the fingerprints. The second family shared the component of a loop, meaning only one delta was visible in the recorded fingerprint. Family number three shared the aspect of a whorl, meaning the fingerprints had multiple deltas.