What aspect should be examined for trace evidence on a firearm?

The presence of trace evidence on a firearm is crucial in crime scene investigations as it can provide significant links between the weapon and the crime or the suspect. Trace evidence often includes materials such as latent fingerprints, hair fibers, or gunshot residue. Regarding trace evidence, considering latent fingerprints and fibers is particularly important because:

1. Latent fingerprints can be left on the surface of the firearm when a person handles the weapon. Analyzing these prints can help identify individuals who may have come into contact with the firearm, potentially linking them to criminal activity.

2. Fibers might originate from a suspect’s clothing or environment and could adhere to the firearm during its use or handling. These fibers can provide additional evidence about the person who used the weapon or was present at the scene.

Other aspects like serial numbers, color and texture, or the size of the weapon are also important, but they do not focus on trace evidence in the same way. Serial numbers are critical for identification and tracing the ownership of a firearm, while color and texture relate more to the physical characteristics of the weapon. Size may help determine the type of firearm but has no direct connection to trace evidence investigation. Thus, focusing on latent fingerprints and fibers is the correct approach to examining trace evidence on