Dusting Powder

Fingerprint powder

Fingerprint powders are fine powders used, in conjunction with fingerprint brushes, by crime scene investigators and other law enforcement personnel to search for and enhance latent/invisible fingerprints that can be used to determine identification. This method of fingerprint development commonly referred to as dusting for fingerprints, involves the adherence of the powder particles to the moisture and sweat secretions deposited on to surfaces by the raised ridges on fingers, palms, or soles of feet designed for grip, called friction ridges. Furrows, representing the recessed areas, which lack fingerprint residue, do not retain the powder.

Powder

A powder is a dry solid composed of many very fine particles that may flow freely when shaken or tilted. Powders are a special sub-class of granular materials, although the terms powder and granular are sometimes used to distinguish separate classes of material. In particular, powders refer to those granular materials that have the finer grain sizes, and that therefore have a greater tendency to form clumps when flowing. Granulars refer to the coarser granular materials that do not tend to form clumps except when wet.

dusting

Verb

1. present participle and gerund of dust

Noun

1. A light snowfall.
2. A light covering of something.

powder

Noun

1. The fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust.

Verb

1. To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder.
2. To sprinkle with powder, or as if with powder.