http://www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Introduction to Physical Science
one color to another. You can see an example of this in theFigure1.23. In other chemical changes, an odor is
produced or gas bubbles are released. All of these changes can be observed with the senses.
FIGURE 1.23
Some of these pennies are shiny and copper colored. That’s how pennies
look when they are new. The older pennies are dull and brown. Copper at
the surface of these pennies has combined with air to become a different
substance with different properties. The change in color shows that a
chemical change has occurred.Q:Some chemical changes release heat. How could this change be observed?
A:The sense of touch—or a thermometer—could be used to observe an increase in temperature.
Summary
- An observation is any information that is gathered with the senses.
- Observations raise questions that lead to scientific investigations. Observations also help scientists gather
evidence in investigations.
Vocabulary
- observation: Any information that is gathered with the senses.
Explore More
We make many observations using our sense of hearing. Test your ability to make sound observations by doing the
activity “Identifying Sounds” at this URL. Be sure to check your answers.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1science.html
Review
- What is an observation?
- What senses can we use to make observations?
- Why are observations important to scientific investigations?