Jacob found a piece of a broken glass bottle. He picked it up and made these observations about it:

1. No color (clear)
2. Makes scratches on wood
3. Has a bumpy surface
4. Broke when I dropped it

He thinks the glass is a solid and most of his observations could only apply to a solid. Which one of his observations could possibly apply to a solid, a liquid or a gas?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

Answer = A (1. No color, clear)

Solids can be clear; ex: an ice cube
Liquids can be clear; ex: water
Gases can be clear; ex: Hydrogen gas

Can't be #2 b/c liquids and gases do not scratch up wood.
Can't be #3 b/c gases cannot and liquids do not have bumpy surfaces.
Can't be #4 b/c you can't drop and break gases.

To determine which one of Jacob's observations could potentially apply to a solid, a liquid, or a gas, we need to examine each observation:

1. No color (clear): This observation does not provide sufficient information to determine whether it applies to a solid, a liquid, or a gas. All three states of matter can have a clear appearance. So, we cannot definitively say whether this observation could apply to a solid, a liquid, or a gas.

2. Makes scratches on wood: This observation suggests that the glass bottle is a solid. Solids are generally harder and can scratch softer materials like wood, whereas liquids and gases do not possess this property.

3. Has a bumpy surface: This observation could potentially apply to a solid, a liquid, or a gas. However, given that the glass bottle is a solid material, it is more likely that the bumpy surface is a characteristic of the solid state. Liquids and gases typically do not have a bumpy surface.

4. Broke when dropped: This observation could only apply to solids. When subjected to mechanical stress, solids can get fractured, while liquids and gases tend to flow rather than break.

Based on these explanations, we can conclude that observation B ("Makes scratches on wood") is the only one that could potentially apply to a solid, a liquid, or a gas, while the other observations are more specific to a solid state.