Some students measure the mass of a small pile of leaves before and after the leaves decompose. Each time the students measure the mass, they place a container with the decomposing leaves on a balance. Before recording the mass of the leaves, the students must do which of the following?
A Subtract the mass of the container
B Add leaves from other plants to the container
C Allow the leaves to settle in the container for a few days
D Use a metric ruler to measure the volume of the container
In order to accurately measure the mass of the decomposing leaves, the students must subtract the mass of the container from the total mass. This is because the container itself adds to the overall weight, and the students are interested in measuring only the mass of the leaves. Hence, the correct answer is option A: Subtract the mass of the container.
The correct answer is A) Subtract the mass of the container.
Before recording the mass of the leaves, the students need to consider the mass of the container in order to accurately determine the mass of the leaves alone. By subtracting the mass of the container, they can get the actual mass of the decomposing leaves.