Which type of fingerprint is visible due to deposition of contaminants such as blood or grease?

• A. Latent
• B. Patent
• C. Plastic
• D. Hidden

Answer: (B)

Patent fingerprints are visible fingerprints created when the finger leaves behind colored substances such as blood or grease on a surface. The contaminant itself provides the color, so the print is immediately visible without any chemical or physical processing. This matches the scenario described, where the print can be seen directly because of the substance transferred from the finger.

Latent fingerprints are invisible to the naked eye and require powders or chemical methods to become visible, so they don’t fit a visibly apparent print. Plastic prints are actual impressions left in soft materials (like wax or clay), not marks on a hard surface, so they’re a different kind of representation. The term hidden isn’t a standard category for fingerprint types, whereas a visible print caused by deposited contaminants is clearly a patent print.