OBSERVING

KPLI SCIENCE MINOR

LESSON NOTES
BY
SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN
SMD, KTTC
 WHAT?
• Most basic skill in science
• Essential to the development of other
science process skills
• We observe objects, substances or events
through our five senses: sight, smell,
touch, taste and hearing
• To observe an object or substance is to
explore all of its properties – color, texture,
odor, shape, weight, volume, temperature,
sound
SSS, JSM, MPKS 2
 OBSERVING USES SENSES

SMELLING SEEING
It smells …….(odor) It looks …….(color, size, shape, measurements)
It smells like …….. It looks like ……..

TASTING OBSERVING HEARING

It tastes ……. It sounds …….
It tastes like …….. It sounds like ……..

TOUCHING
It feels …….(texture, temperature, pressure)
It feels like ……..

SSS, JSM, MPKS 3

 TYPES OF OBSERVATIONS
• QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS
– Uses only senses to obtain information
– Eg:
• It is light green in colour. (sight)
• It has a pungent odor. (smell)
• It tastes sour. (taste)
• Its leaves are waxy and smooth. (touch)
• It makes a rustling sound when lightly rubbed.
(hearing)

SSS, JSM, MPKS 4

 TYPES OF OBSERVATIONS
• QUANTITATIVE OBSERVATIONS
– Observations that involve number or quantity
– Include a reference to some standard unit of measure
– Made with instruments such as rulers, balances,
graduated cylinders give us specific and precise
information. Approximation and comparisons are not
as precise but are also quantitative observations.
– Eg:
• One leaf is 10 cm long and 6 cm wide. (metric rule)
• The mass of one leaf is 5g. (balance)
• The temperature of the room in which it grows is 22°C.
(thermometer)
• The plant’s leaves are clustered in groups of five.
• This plant is larger than that plant.
• Each flower is as wide as 3 paper clips placed end to end.
SSS, JSM, MPKS 5
 OBSERVING CHANGES
• In observing objects or phenomena that
undergo physical or chemical changes,
observations will be either qualitative or
quantitative.
• In describing a change it is important to
include statements of observation made
before, during and after the change occurs

SSS, JSM, MPKS 6

 ACTIVITY – BURNING CANDLE
• Describe at least 7 (4 qualitative and 3
quantitative) obsevations before the
change, 3 general statements about the
changes as you observe them occuring,
and 5 observations (4 qualitative and 1
quantitative) after the change has taken
place.
• Record your observations in the table
below.

SSS, JSM, MPKS 7

 WHAT I OBSERVED
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS QUANTITATIVE OBSERVATIONS
Before
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4.
5.
During
1.
2.
3.
After
1. 1.
2.
3.

SSS, JSM, MPKS 8

 SELF CHECK
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS QUANTITATIVE OBSERVATIONS
Before 1. Mass: 2 g
1. Color: white 2. 5 cm long
2. Slight odor 3. 1 cm diameter
3. Undetectable taste 4. Each strand is 0.5 mm in diameter
4. Cylindrical shape 5. Coil of strands is 1 mm in diameter
5. One end flat, other end cone shaped 6. Coil extends 5 mm above tip of cone
6. From cone extends a tuft of white, fuzzy, fibrous, soft material
composed of strands
7. Each strand is cylindrical and irregularly coiled

During
1. Fibrous strand turn black
2. Flame is elliptical in shape
3. Flame flickers in slight wind
4. Upper part of flame is bright yellow, lower part of flame is dull
yellow with a blue margin
5. A puddle of liquid forms in place of the cone
6. Liquid material drips down side of candle; some solidifies on a
cooler part of the candle, some drips to the table top.
After
1. Color: white 1. Mass: 1 g
2. Solid irregular in shape 2. Height of wax at highest point: 3 mm
3. Small portion of fibrous strands protrudes from wax 3. Distance across wax at the widest
4. Exposed part of fibrous strands is black point: 1.5 cm

SSS, JSM, MPKS 9