Fingerprint Similarity Between Siblings and Non-related People

PURPOSE

The purpose of this experiment was to compare the similarity of fingerprints between siblings and non-siblings.

I became interested in this idea when I was looking at my sister’s and my fingerprints last year and I noticed how they looked a little bit alike.

The information gained from this experiment could help police to determine criminal’s fingerprints by looking at some of their family member’s.  If my hypothesis is correct it could also help orphans find their biological parents.

HYPOTHESIS

My hypothesis was that siblings would have a higher percentage of similar type fingerprints than people who are unrelated.

I based my hypothesis on an article I found in World Book Online by John Thornton.  He stated, “Although no two fingerprints are alike, families have the same style of fingerprints (loops, whirls, arch, or abstract).”

  

EXPERIMENT DESIGN

The constants in this study were:

•    Same fingerprinting tools used

•    Same finger used for printing

•    Same jewelers loupe used for studying 

•    Same method of printing

The manipulated variable was the hereditary relationship of the subjects.

The responding variable was the similarity of the fingerprints.

To measure the responding variable, I classified the fingerprints and compared the similarity for people who are biologically related to those who are not.

MATERIALS

QUANTITY	ITEM DESCRIPTION
1	Ink pad
1	Roll of fingerprint squares
1	Bottle of ink remover
1	Jewelers’ loupe
1	Ink roller

PROCEDURES

1.    Get a fingerprinting kit.

2.    Obtain subjects. 

          a)    25-30 biological siblings.

 b)    Non-related people must be expanded past cousins in a family.

3.    Take fingerprint samples.

          a)    Spread ink on the pad.

          b)    Spread thinly with brayer.

          c)    Roll 1 finger.

          d)    Print 1 finger.

          e)    Repeat with all fingers on both hands.

  f)    Label all with this subject’s code.

4.    Study fingerprint samples for one individual.

  a)  Classify the prints as loop, whorl, arch, or abstract.

          b)  Record  data for this individual.

5.    Repeat step four for all individuals

6.    Determine the percentage of fingerprints that are alike within each sibling group.

7.    Label group.

8.    Write down the conclusion.

9.    Repeat steps a-e until all sibling groups are completed. 

          a)    Separate the fingerprints from their matches.

 b)    Put a fingerprint sample with one that doesn’t match it (Example: 7a with 5b)

          c)    Classify the prints as loop, whorl, arch, or abstract.

  d)    Determine the percentage of fingerprints that are alike in that group.

  e)    Label group.

          f)    Write down conclusion.

          g)     Shred fingerprints.

  h)    Repeat steps a-f until all non-related groups are complete.

RESULTS

The original purpose of this experiment was to study the effect of similarity of fingerprints in a family.

The results of the experiment were that the siblings had a higher percent of fingerprint similarity than of those who were unrelated.

CONCLUSION

My hypothesis was that siblings would have a higher percentage of similar type of fingerprints than people who are unrelated.

The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted, because they show that the groups of siblings had a higher similarity rate than those of the people who were not related.

After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder if parents share the same type of fingerprints as their children.

If I were to conduct this project again, I would have taken more fingerprint samples. Also, I would have made more trials for the experiment. 

Researched by ----- Hannah R 

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Various Carpet Cleaners on Stains

  

PURPOSE

The purpose of this project was to find out which brand of carpet cleaner removed stain most efficiently.

I became interested in this idea when I watched competing carpet cleaner commercials that all claimed to be the best, so I wanted to find out which really was the best.

The information gained from this experiment could inform consumers about which brand of carpet cleaner would be the best choice to remove their carpet stains best.

HYPOTHESIS

My hypothesis was that Resolve brand would remove the stain best.

I based my hypothesis on a science project that was done by Bryanna Bruskland in 2002-2003. Her project title was “The Effect of Carpet Cleaners on Stain Removal”. She said that the whiteness was highest when using Resolve brand.

EXPERIMENT DESIGN

The constants in this study were:

•    Type and color of carpet

•    Stain mixture

•    Amount of stain used on carpet

•    Size of carpet squares

•    Drying time

•    Amount of carpet cleaner applied

•    Method for using cleaner

•    Method of measuring stain removal

The manipulated variable was the brand of the carpet cleaner.

The responding variable was the amount of stain remaining on the carpet.  

To measure the responding variable, I used the colorimeter at a local lab to determine the whiteness of the carpet squares.

MATERIALS

Quantity	Item Description
21	10x10cm carpet squares (white)
1	Bottle of Resolve
1	Bottle of Woolite
1	Bottle of Oxi Clean
1	Knife to cut carpet
1	Roll of paper towels
1	Box of Ziploc plastic bags
1	Black permanent marker
1	Jug of purple grape juice
1	Pound of black coffee
1	Timer
1	Pair of plastic gloves
1	Camera
1	Large bowl
1	Ruler (in cm)
1	Colorimeter
1	Wooden spoon
1	Ml dropper

PROCEDURES

1.    Collect all materials.

2.    Mix stain.

             a.    Get large bowl.

   b.    Make 350 ml of black coffee.

  c.    Mix 350 ml black coffee and 250 ml grape juice in bowl with wooden spoon.

3.    Cut carpet squares

             a.    Purchase white carpet.

   b.    Cut into 21 10x10 cm squares.

4.    Stain carpet.

   a.    Take 10 ml stain from bowl with dropper.

             b.    Slowly drop onto center of one carpet square.

            c.    Rub into carpet with finger for 15 seconds.

  d.    Repeat steps B and C on 18 carpet squares (but leave      three control squares unstained).

5.    Clean stained carpet.

           a.    Apply 1.4 ml of cleanser of stain on one carpet square.

            b.    Scrub cleanser for 30 sec. with one paper towel.

           c.    Label square with name of cleanser used.

  d.    Repeat steps A-C on all remaining carpet squares in this group.

 e.    Repeat steps A-D with each of the following cleaners (OC & WOD).

6.    Determine whiteness.

          a.    Take all carpet squares to local laboratory.

            b.    Use colorimeter to determine “L” value for each square.

            c.    Record data.

          d.    Average within each group.

RESULTS

The original purpose of this experiment was to find out which brand of carpet cleaner removed stain most efficiently.

The results of the experiment were that Oxi Clean (67.046 whiteness) worked the best when removing a stain, opposed to Woolite Oxy Deep (67.02 whiteness) and Resolve (66.476 whiteness). 

CONCLUSION

My hypothesis was that Resolve brand would remove the stain best.

The results indicate that this hypothesis should be rejected, because the Oxi Clean brand removed the stain most efficiently, although the differences were very small.  

After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder what the results would be like if I conducted an experiment such as Steam Cleaners vs. Spray-on or Carpet Materials vs. Stain Resistance.

If I were to conduct this project again I would use more carpet squares in each group and test a larger variety of cleaners. I would also use a more difficult stain to remove like red wine, chocolate sauce, or motor oil. I would steam clean the carpet before staining, to remove factory protectants. I would have added one more control, too, and stain it, to compare the stain before to the stain after treatment.

Researched by ------ Cierra P

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Motor Oil On The Survival Rate of Brine Shrimp

PURPOSE

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of motor oil on the survival rate of brine shrimp.

I first became interested in this idea because I had heard horrible reports, over and over, from watching the news about the pollutants getting in our lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans that damage the aquatic life. I wanted to see for myself how a common pollutant would affect an organism. I chose to test on brine shrimp because they are at the bottom of the food chain. If the motor oil killed them then the whole food chain itself would collapse. 

The information gained from this experiment could warn anyone who owns a car how much the motor oil that they dispose of could affect the population of living creatures in our waters. Oil must be disposed of correctly. Pollutants add up in the environment, so my results would help us in the future. 

HYPOTHESIS

My first hypothesis was that as the amount of motor oil in the water increased the survival rate of the brine shrimp would decrease.

My second hypothesis was that the more motor oil there was in the water the shorter time the brine shrimp would survive.

 

EXPERIMENT DESIGN

The constants in this study were:

-    The amount of brine shrimp in each Petri dish (10)

-    The amount of water in each Petri dish (5 ml.)

-    The type of water in each Petri dish (salt water)

-    The total time the brine shrimp were left in the Petri dishes (1 hour)

-    The frequency of when the brine shrimp are checked during the test (every 10 min.)

The manipulated variable was the amount of motor oil put in each Petri dish. 

The responding variable was the rate of the deaths of the tested brine shrimp.  

To measure the responding variable, I counted how many brine shrimp survived in each petri dish about every 10 min. for a period of 1 hour.

   

MATERIALS

QUANTITY	ITEM DESCRIPTION
4	droppers
1	brine shrimp hatcher
1	container of brine shrimp eggs
20	Petri dishes
1	timer
1	bottle motor oil
1	L. water
55	g. salt
1	egg
1	disecting microscope
4	syringes

                     

PROCEDURES

1.    Prepare the salt water

a) mix 55 grams of non-iodized salt into each 1 liter of distilled  water 

2.    Culture brine shrimp at 20ο  C.

a)add ¼ tsp. Of dry eggs to ½ a liter of salt solution

b)Let them grow for about 48 hours

3.    Mixing together the salt water and motor oil

a)Mix water and motor oil together using an emulsifier, then stir

          b)I used 5 ml. of egg white in each petri dish

c)Have 10%of motor oil with 5 ml. of salt water into one petri dish

d)Then double the amount of motor oil that you put in on the other petri dishes as you go on, but keep the amount of salt water the same

4.    Move 10 brine shrimp into the 5 petri dishes 

a) using a dropper

b) count the brine shrimp that are inside just by looking inside

5.    Checking the brine shrimp

a)I took each petri dish with the different amounts of motor oil one at a time under a microscope and counted how many were still living

b)They might not be moving around much, but check carefully to see if they are still kicking

c)Every 10 min. I counted how many were living out of 10

d) I continued each trial for 1 hour 

e) Then I recorded how many brine shrimp had survived the trial at the last counting

RESULTS

The original purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of motor oil on the survival rate of brine shrimp. 

The average results of the experiment were that the brine shrimp that were held in the petri dish with 5% motor oil only had 85% living after 1 hour. The brine shrimp that where being held in the petri dish with 10% motor oil only had 83% living after 1 hour. The brine shrimp that were being held in the petri dish with 20% motor only had 76% living after 1 hour. The brine shrimp that were being held in the petri dish with 40% motor oil only had 76% living after 1 hour. The control group with no oil had 98% living after 1 hour.

CONCLUSION

My first hypothesis was that as the amount of motor oil in the water increased the survival rate of the brine shrimp would decrease.

The results indicate that my first hypothesis should be accepted, because having the motor oil increase did have the survival rate of brine shrimp decrease.

My second hypothesis was that the more motor oil there was in the water the shorter time the brine shrimp would survive.

The results indicate that my second hypothesis should be accepted, because the more motor oil there was in the water the shorter time the brine shrimp would survive.

After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder if antifreeze would decrease the survival rate of brine shrimp even more than the motor oil did. Antiifreeze is soluable in water and motor oil is not. I also wonder if I used water from a different water source the results would change. 

If I were to conduct this project again I would probably add  more motor oil in with the brine shrimp to get bigger results.

 Researched by ---- Lyndsey S

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