a student is observing a rock. which of the follwoinf is an observation
1. the rock is 55g in mass
2. the rock is over billions of years old
i put 2 on my test
can u explain why its 2.
You wouldn't know the mass of the rock by a simple observation. You'd have to weigh it.
so using an instrument to extend the power of an observation isnt itself an observation?
Both statements can be considered observations, as they describe some characteristic of the rock being observed.
1. "The rock is 55g in mass": This is an observation about the physical property of the rock, specifically its mass, which can be measured using a balance scale. To make this observation, the student would have used a balance scale to determine the mass of the rock.
2. "The rock is over billions of years old": This is an observation about the rock's age, specifically that it is very old. To make this observation, the student would have likely used techniques from the field of geology, such as radiometric dating or estimating the rock's age based on the geological context in which it was found.