Paint Chips Question sheet

1. Describe two tests that can be carried out to determine if two paint chips are from the same source. 2. If the layers of paint, fillers and binders of a paint flake taken from a crime scene exactly match the order and thickness of the layers in another paint flake from a suspects car, what conclusion can an investigator make regarding the suspect? 3. What other information would be needed before an arrest should be made? 4. If two paint flakes both had the same eight layers of the same colours in the same order, but the thickness of some of the layers differed, could you conclude that they probably came from the same object? Explain the reasons for your answer. 5. The paint flakes shown below ( a to d) were found at a crime scene. The paint flakes (A to D) were removed from the cars of four suspects.

i)

Do any of the paint flakes match up? Which ones, if any?

ii)

What conclusions can you draw from this?