Station 1: Qualitative vs Quantitative Observations
Definitions:
Qualitative observations use your senses to observe the results. (Sight, smell, touch,
taste and hear.)
Quantitative observations are made with instruments such as rulers, balances,
graduated cylinders, beakers, and thermometers. These results are measurable.
Read the following examples and then decide if the example is qualitative (1) or
quantitative (2).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
It is light green in colour. ________ (1 or 2)
It taste sour. ______ (1 or 2)
One leaf is 9 cm long. ____ (1 or 2)
It makes a loud pop sound. ____ (1 or 2)
The mass of the computer is 1 1/2 kg. ____ (1 or 2)
It smells sweet. ____ (1 or 2)
The temperature of the room increases by 8 degrees C. ____ (1 or 2)
It gets darker over a period of time. ____ (1 or 2)
The flower clusters in 3 blooms. ____ (1 or 2)
Feels very rough. ____ (1 or 2)
The plant is short. ____ (1 or 2)
Leaves are stiff. ____ (1 or 2)
The veins are 3 mm wide. ____ (1 or 2)
14. Write a qualitative example:
Station 2: Heat a test tube, safety flame vs roaring
flame
Instructions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Measure 5mL of water accurately using a ______________________ into 2
separate test tubes.
Use a peg to hold the test tube near its open end.
Point the test tube away from everyone, including yourself.
Heat the bottom of test tube 1 gently, moving it back and forth through the
safety flame.
Heat the bottom of test tube 2 gently, moving it back and forth through the
roaring flame, as shown in the below picture.
Note that you should never leave the test tube in one spot in the flame for too
long.
Write down your observations in the table below.
Observations
Which flame leaves a residue and is therefore the DIRTY FLAME,
which flame does not and is therefore the CLEAN FLAME.
15. Write a quantitative example:
16. What type of observation do you think is more scientific and why?
Test tube 1 in Safety
Flame
Test tube 2 in
Roaring Flame
Station 3: Observations vs Inference
Instructions:
Instructions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Station 4: Can you relight a candle from a distance?
Touch or smell the item in the box by putting your hand through the hole
Do not try to look at the item
Write down your observations
Write down an inference for your observation
Observation
Inference
1.
2.
Light the candle
Using all of your senses, except taste, write down as many observations as
possible (Michael Faraday, a nineteenth century scientist made 53 observations!)
Observations
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Box 1 - Touch
Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3.
4.
Gently blow the candle out.
Attempt to relight it by moving a lit match down the
smoke trail as shown in the picture.
Describe what happened?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Box 2 - Smell
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Item 1
Item 2
Explain why you think this happened?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Item 3
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Item 4
Station 5: Observations, Inferences and Predictions
In a group of three you need to come up with three scenarios which include an
observation, inference and prediction. For example the first person could say…
Observation: Jonathon is smiling when he is eating his cake.
The next person in the group could come
up with a possible inference.
Inference: Jonathon likes his cake.
The third person makes a prediction.
Prediction: Jonathon will want to eat cake again.
Scenario 1:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Scenario 2:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Scenario 3:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________