Unit 2: Development of Fingerprints - Practice Quiz

FSC104 — Forensic Dermatoglyphics And Impression Analysis 60 Questions
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1 A fingerprint that is invisible to the naked eye and requires development to be visualized is called a:

types of impression left on the surface Easy
A. Patent fingerprint
B. Plastic fingerprint
C. Latent fingerprint
D. Visible fingerprint

2 A fingerprint impression left in a soft material such as wax, putty, or fresh paint is known as a:

types of impression left on the surface Easy
A. Patent fingerprint
B. Plastic fingerprint
C. Chemical fingerprint
D. Latent fingerprint

3 A visible fingerprint left when a finger stained with blood, ink, or grease touches a surface is called a:

types of impression left on the surface Easy
A. Plastic fingerprint
B. Latent fingerprint
C. Patent fingerprint
D. Hidden fingerprint

4 Which fine powder is most commonly used to develop latent fingerprints on smooth, light-coloured surfaces?

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Easy
A. Ninhydrin spray
B. Silver nitrate solution
C. Iodine crystals
D. Black fingerprint powder

5 Ninhydrin is a chemical reagent that develops latent fingerprints by reacting with:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Easy
A. Water molecules
B. Fatty oils
C. Sodium chloride
D. Amino acids

6 The purple-coloured product formed when ninhydrin reacts with amino acids in a fingerprint is called:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Easy
A. Congo red
B. Prussian blue
C. Malachite green
D. Ruhemann's purple

7 Cyanoacrylate fuming, commonly used to develop latent prints, is popularly known as the:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Easy
A. Iodine method
B. Super glue method
C. Silver method
D. Powder method

8 Silver nitrate develops latent fingerprints by reacting with which component of the print residue?

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Easy
A. Amino acids
B. Urea
C. Fatty acids
D. Sodium chloride (salt)

9 Iodine fuming develops latent fingerprints because iodine vapour is absorbed by the:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Easy
A. Water content
B. Amino acids
C. Salt residues
D. Fatty and oily residues

10 Which type of light source is widely used to enhance and detect fluorescent-treated latent fingerprints?

application of light sources in fingerprint detection Easy
A. X-ray source
B. Ordinary candle light
C. Infrared heat lamp
D. Ultraviolet (UV) light

11 A device that produces different wavelengths of light to detect latent fingerprints is generally called a(n):

application of light sources in fingerprint detection Easy
A. Electron microscope
B. Refractometer
C. Alternate Light Source (ALS)
D. Spectrophotometer

12 The traditional method of recording fingerprints of a living person uses:

collection of fingerprints Easy
A. Iodine vapour
B. Silver nitrate
C. Super glue
D. Ink and paper

13 After a latent print is developed with powder, which technique is commonly used to lift it from a surface?

collection of fingerprints Easy
A. Wet swab
B. Magnifying glass
C. Cotton wool
D. Adhesive lifting tape

14 Which of the following is one of the three basic fingerprint pattern types?

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Easy
A. Minutiae
B. Loop
C. Core
D. Ridge count

15 The fingerprint classification system widely used and named after its British developer is the:

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Easy
A. Henry Classification System
B. Locard System
C. Bertillon System
D. Osborn System

16 The computerized system used to store and search large collections of fingerprint records is known as:

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Easy
A. CCTV network
B. AFIS
C. GPS
D. DNA database

17 The best way to permanently preserve a developed latent fingerprint before lifting is to:

preservation of developed fingerprints Easy
A. Photograph it
B. Rub it gently
C. Wash it with water
D. Heat it strongly

18 Digital imaging software is used in fingerprint analysis mainly to:

digital imaging for fingerprint enhancement Easy
A. Enhance contrast and clarity of the print
B. Change a person's identity
C. Destroy the original print
D. Manufacture new fingerprints

19 When fingerprinting a deceased person whose fingers have become wrinkled, a common technique to restore the ridges is:

fingerprinting the deceased Easy
A. Cutting off the finger
B. Freezing the entire body
C. Applying acid to the skin
D. Injecting fluid (tissue builder) into the fingertip

20 The Aadhaar card in India is issued by which authority?

Aadhar Data-Unique Identification Authority of India Easy
A. SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India)
B. CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)
C. RBI (Reserve Bank of India)
D. UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India)

21 A burglar handles a freshly painted windowsill, leaving a three-dimensional ridge impression in the soft paint. This type of impression is best classified as:

types of impression left on the surface Medium
A. Patent (visible) impression
B. Plastic (molded) impression
C. Negative impression
D. Latent impression

22 An investigator must develop latent prints on a porous paper document. Which reagent group targets the amino acid components of the residue and is therefore most appropriate?

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Medium
A. Ninhydrin
B. Black granular powder
C. Cyanoacrylate (superglue)
D. Small Particle Reagent (SPR)

23 Cyanoacrylate fuming develops latent prints on a non-porous surface primarily by:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Medium
A. Staining amino acids to give a purple product
B. Absorbing UV light and re-emitting visible fluorescence directly
C. Reacting with sodium chloride to form silver chloride
D. Polymerization of monomers on the moisture and residue of the ridges forming a white deposit

24 The Silver Nitrate method develops latent prints by reacting with which component of sweat residue?

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Medium
A. Sodium chloride (salts)
B. Urea
C. Lipids and fatty acids
D. Amino acids

25 While recording inked fingerprints, a technician performs a controlled rotation of the finger from one nail edge to the other. This is done specifically to:

collection of fingerprints Medium
A. Prevent smudging by the printing ink
B. Remove sweat from the finger surface
C. Reduce the pressure applied to the finger
D. Capture the full rolled area including the ridge detail near the edges

26 In the Henry Classification System, the primary classification value is derived by assigning numerical values to fingers containing which pattern type?

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Medium
A. Whorls
B. Arches
C. Tented arches
D. Loops

27 A forensic light source is used with an orange barrier filter after treating prints with a fluorescent dye. The barrier filter's main function is to:

application of light sources in fingerprint detection Medium
A. Convert UV light into visible light
B. Block the excitation light so only the emitted fluorescence is seen
C. Increase the intensity of the excitation light
D. Cool the light source to prevent damage to the print

28 DFO (1,8-diazafluoren-9-one) is often preferred over ninhydrin on paper because DFO-developed prints:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Medium
A. Produce a permanent black metallic deposit
B. React with lipids instead of amino acids
C. Fluoresce strongly under laser/ALS excitation improving sensitivity
D. Do not require heat or humidity to develop

29 Small Particle Reagent (SPR) is most suitable for developing latent prints on:

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Medium
A. Freshly painted plastic surfaces
B. Human skin of a living victim
C. Dry paper documents
D. Wet non-porous surfaces

30 After developing a latent print with black powder on a smooth surface, the most common method to preserve and lift it is:

preservation of developed fingerprints Medium
A. Spraying the print with silver nitrate solution
B. Soaking the surface in ninhydrin solution
C. Applying transparent adhesive lifting tape and mounting it on a contrasting backing card
D. Fuming the print again with cyanoacrylate

31 A digital image of a bloody fingerprint on patterned fabric is processed to remove the interfering background pattern. This is most effectively achieved using:

digital imaging for fingerprint enhancement Medium
A. Fourier transform / frequency filtering
B. Converting the image to a lower bit depth
C. Reducing the pixel resolution
D. Increasing the JPEG compression

32 When a deceased person's fingers show wrinkling or early decomposition making printing difficult, a common technique to restore ridge detail is:

fingerprinting the deceased Medium
A. Injecting tissue builder fluid beneath the friction skin to plump the ridges
B. Immersing the whole body in cyanoacrylate
C. Applying ninhydrin directly to the skin
D. Freezing the fingers until they harden completely

33 Latent prints deposited on the interior of a discarded latex glove worn by a suspect are valuable because they can:

developing fingerprints on gloves Medium
A. Only reveal the victim's prints, never the wearer's
B. Identify the wearer even though the exterior surface showed no prints from the wearer
C. Never survive due to the powder inside the glove
D. Be developed exclusively using silver nitrate

34 The UIDAI's Aadhaar programme uses fingerprints along with iris scans primarily to achieve:

Aadhar Data-Unique Identification Authority of India Medium
A. Automatic issuance of passports
B. De-duplication ensuring each resident receives only one unique identity number
C. Real-time tracking of a person's location
D. Criminal record maintenance for police

35 Physical Developer (PD) is chosen to develop prints on a paper that has been soaked in water because it targets:

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Medium
A. The water-soluble amino acids
B. The urea in the sweat
C. The water-insoluble lipid/sebaceous components of the residue
D. The chloride salts only

36 Untreated latent prints can sometimes be visualized directly with a laser at ~450–530 nm because certain residue components exhibit:

application of light sources in fingerprint detection Medium
A. Radioactive decay
B. Inherent (native) fluorescence
C. Thermal conductivity
D. Magnetic attraction

37 A fingerprint left by a finger contaminated with grease and then pressed onto a clean glass is visible to the naked eye. This is categorized as a:

types of impression left on the surface Medium
A. Plastic impression
B. Patent (visible) impression
C. Latent impression
D. Ephemeral impression

38 In modern automated cataloguing, an AFIS matches a query print to stored records mainly by comparing:

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Medium
A. The size of the fingerprint card
B. The overall colour of the ink used
C. Minutiae points (ridge endings and bifurcations) and their spatial relationships
D. The name spelling on the record

39 Best practice in forensic digital imaging requires that all enhancement steps be performed on a working copy while the original is preserved, primarily to:

digital imaging for fingerprint enhancement Medium
A. Automatically classify the pattern type
B. Reduce the file size on disk
C. Maintain integrity and admissibility of the evidence
D. Speed up the software processing

40 Cyanoacrylate-developed prints on a curved, non-porous object that cannot be lifted with tape are best preserved by:

preservation of developed fingerprints Medium
A. Photographing the print with appropriate lighting and a scale
B. Wrapping the object in adhesive tape entirely
C. Dusting them again with magnetic powder
D. Immersing the object in silver nitrate

41 Ninhydrin develops latent prints by reacting with amino acids in eccrine residue. Which statement best explains why treated prints are often re-treated with a metal salt solution such as zinc chloride?

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Hard
A. Zinc chloride hydrolyzes remaining lipids to intensify the purple color
B. The zinc complex of Ruhemann's purple shifts absorption and fluoresces under laser/ALS, improving weak print visualization
C. Zinc chloride neutralizes acidic paper, preventing background staining
D. Zinc ions catalyze further ninhydrin polymerization to darken the print

42 A porous document already fumed and treated has been submerged in water for several days, likely washing away water-soluble amino acids. Which reagent is MOST appropriate to still recover prints?

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Hard
A. Ninhydrin, which reacts with residual amino acids
B. Physical Developer (PD), which targets water-insoluble lipid/sebaceous components
C. Iodine fuming, which reacts with unsaturated fats
D. DFO, which fluoresces with amino acids

43 Cyanoacrylate (superglue) fuming polymerizes on latent prints. Which factor most directly controls whether polymerization produces well-defined ridges versus overdeveloped, cotton-like clumps?

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Hard
A. The color of the substrate surface
B. The wavelength of the ambient light during fuming
C. Relative humidity around 80% combined with controlled monomer concentration and time
D. The presence of amino acids rather than lipids

44 A print pressed into fresh putty and a print visible in a blood smear both differ from a typical latent. How are these classified respectively?

types of impression left on the surface Hard
A. Latent impression and plastic impression
B. Both are latent impressions requiring development
C. Plastic (molded) impression and patent (visible) impression
D. Patent impression and plastic impression

45 When examining a DFO-treated document, an examiner selects a green (~530 nm) excitation and views through an orange barrier filter. What is the rationale?

application of light sources in fingerprint detection Hard
A. The orange filter converts green light into red to excite the fluorophore
B. Green light chemically activates DFO to react further with amino acids
C. Green light reflects off ridges while orange absorbs the background
D. Green excites DFO fluorescence while the orange filter blocks reflected excitation light, passing only emitted fluorescence

46 Latex glove interiors can retain the wearer's ridge detail as a reverse (negative) impression. Which processing consideration is MOST critical when developing prints on the flexible glove interior?

developing fingerprints on gloves Hard
A. The prints must always be lifted with black powder due to translucency
B. Ridges appear mirror-reversed and as negatives, so orientation and tonal inversion must be corrected before comparison
C. Prints on gloves are always patent and need no development
D. Only cyanoacrylate works because latex dissolves in all other reagents

47 A body recovered after prolonged immersion shows severe skin wrinkling ('washerwoman' effect). Which technique best restores ridge detail for recording?

fingerprinting the deceased Hard
A. Immediate rolling in standard ink before any treatment
B. Tissue builder or subcutaneous injection/boiling to re-plump the friction ridge skin, then printing
C. Cyanoacrylate fuming of the intact fingers underwater
D. Applying ninhydrin directly to the fingertips

48 In the Henry classification system with the standard formula, a print pattern only contributes to the numerical value when it is a whorl. If whorls appear on the right index and left thumb only, and using the standard fraction (adding 1 to numerator and denominator), what is the primary classification?

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Hard
A.
B.
C.
D.

49 UIDAI's biometric de-duplication during enrollment prevents an individual from obtaining multiple Aadhaar numbers. Which combination of biometrics is captured to enable this 1:N de-duplication?

Aadhar Data-Unique Identification Authority of India Hard
A. A single thumbprint and iris scan
B. Ten fingerprints, both iris scans, and a facial photograph
C. Only ten fingerprints and a photograph
D. Palm prints, iris, and voice sample

50 An examiner uses Fourier (frequency-domain) filtering on a scanned latent overlaying a patterned banknote. Why is this method effective at removing the background pattern?

digital imaging for fingerprint enhancement Hard
A. It converts color images to grayscale to remove ink interference
B. The repetitive background produces discrete frequency peaks that can be selectively masked, leaving the aperiodic ridge information
C. It applies uniform blurring that averages out the ridges and background equally
D. It sharpens ridges by increasing pixel bit depth in the spatial domain

51 On a dark, non-porous, wet surface, an examiner wants a single-step fluorescent development without prior superglue fuming. Which reagent is most suitable?

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Hard
A. Iodine fuming with silver plate transfer
B. DFO with green laser excitation
C. Ninhydrin spray followed by heating
D. Small Particle Reagent (SPR), a suspension that adheres to fatty residues on wet surfaces

52 After cyanoacrylate fuming on a curved plastic bottle, why is high-resolution photography generally preferred over lifting for preservation of the polymerized print?

preservation of developed fingerprints Hard
A. Photography can capture prints that lifting cannot see at all
B. The polymer is fixed to the substrate and curvature distorts lifts, so photography preserves geometry without damaging the fragile ridges
C. Lifted prints cannot be entered into AFIS databases
D. Lifting tape chemically dissolves the cyanoacrylate polymer

53 Physical Developer works by redox chemistry. What is the fundamental basis of ridge visualization in PD?

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Hard
A. Fe/Fe redox reduces silver ions to metallic silver selectively onto lipid residues
B. Amino acids reduce silver nitrate directly to form a purple dye
C. Ninhydrin oxidizes lipids to form colored aldehydes
D. Iodine sublimes and bonds covalently to sebaceous fats

54 When collecting elimination prints at a scene involving multiple residents, what is the primary forensic rationale for the practice?

collection of fingerprints Hard
A. To calibrate the powder adhesion for the specific surfaces present
B. To build the primary suspect database for AFIS submission
C. To exclude prints of persons with legitimate access, isolating unknown prints of investigative value
D. To satisfy Aadhaar enrollment requirements at the scene

55 An untreated latent on a multicolored surface fluoresces weakly under UV due to inherent residue components. Why might inherent fluorescence examination be attempted before any powder or chemical treatment?

application of light sources in fingerprint detection Hard
A. Inherent fluorescence only works after cyanoacrylate fuming
B. Powders block UV, so treatment must always follow light examination
C. It is non-destructive and preserves the print for subsequent DNA or chemical processing if it succeeds
D. UV light chemically fixes the print, preventing later degradation

56 For processing the adhesive side of tape, which reagent is specifically formulated to develop prints without the adhesive interfering?

latent fingerprints detection by physical and chemical techniques Hard
A. Physical Developer applied to the non-adhesive side only
B. Iodine fuming of the rolled tape
C. Ninhydrin, which reacts with the adhesive polymer
D. Sticky-side powder (a powder suspension) or gentian violet, which stain fatty residues on adhesive

57 In ridge counting for loops during classification, why is the core-to-delta count taken along a straight imaginary line, excluding both the delta and core themselves?

classification and cataloguing of fingerprint record Hard
A. To include the type lines that define the pattern area
B. To ensure a standardized, reproducible count independent of examiner and ridge thickness at endpoints
C. Because the delta and core are always whorls, not loops
D. Because counting endpoints would double the value artificially

58 A forensic image standard requires that enhancement be defensible in court. Which practice best satisfies this evidentiary requirement?

digital imaging for fingerprint enhancement Hard
A. Preserving the unaltered original, applying only reproducible global adjustments, and documenting every step
B. Using AI to generate plausible ridge continuations across gaps
C. Applying content-aware cloning to reconstruct missing ridges for clarity
D. Sharpening until minutiae appear, discarding the noisy original

59 Why does DFO generally reveal more prints than ninhydrin on the same porous document, despite both reacting with amino acids?

mechanism of detection of fingerprints by different developing reagents Hard
A. DFO does not require heat or humidity to develop
B. DFO reacts additionally with lipids that ninhydrin ignores
C. DFO forms a fluorescent product detectable under ALS, giving higher sensitivity than the visible-color-only ninhydrin reaction
D. DFO produces a darker visible color than Ruhemann's purple

60 In an advanced decomposition case where epidermal ridge skin has sloughed off, which approach can still yield identifiable ridge detail?

fingerprinting the deceased Hard
A. Applying cyanoacrylate to the muscle tissue directly
B. Printing the exposed dermis, whose dermal ridges mirror the epidermal pattern, or using the recovered epidermal 'glove'
C. Only DNA analysis, as ridges are permanently lost with the epidermis
D. Rolling the bone surface in printing ink