Which type of evidence involves the transfer of materials between objects during contact?

• A. Trace evidence
• B. Impression evidence
• C. Toolmark evidence
• D. Hair and fibers

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that trace evidence describes material that moves between objects when they touch. When surfaces come into contact, tiny amounts of material—fibers from clothing, skin cells, hair, soil, or other particulates—can transfer from one surface to another. This transfer is the essence of trace evidence and is what investigators look for to link a person, object, and location.

Impression evidence involves the imprint or mark left by an object on a surface, not the transfer of materials. Toolmark evidence concerns marks left by tools on surfaces. Hair and fibers are examples of trace evidence, but the broader category that captures the transfer during contact is trace evidence.