Which of the three main classes of fingerprints includes loops, whorls, and arches?

The classification of fingerprints into categories like loops, whorls, and arches is fundamental to understanding how fingerprints can be categorized based on their unique designs. These categories represent the three primary types of fingerprint patterns that forensic investigators analyze when comparing and identifying fingerprints.

Loops are characterized by ridges that enter from one side, make a curve, and exit on the same side. Whorls have circular or spiral patterns, and arches are where the ridges rise in the center to form an arch shape, typically without looping back. Each type has its own distinctive formation that helps in identification purposes during forensic investigations.

The other concepts, such as pattern classifications and ridge characteristics, while related to the study of fingerprints, do not encapsulate the entire framework of types of fingerprints as well as the term "fingerprint types" does. Chemical compositions are not relevant in this context since they pertain to the physical and chemical makeup of the fingerprint residue itself rather than the visual patterns or classifications of the fingerprints. Thus, identifying loops, whorls, and arches effectively falls under the category of fingerprint types.