1What blinks and is your own video screen in your head? Your eyes, of course, and they are one of the five tools you use for observing your environment. To scientists, observing is a major beginning step to the exploration of scientific questions. When you observe objects or events in your environment, you use your five senses to identify properties, notice changes, and recognize similarities and differences. Each sense helps you to focus on specific details about those objects and events.
2Seeing is believing and with your eyes you are able to notice properties such as size, shape, and color of objects. You are also able to notice how objects interact with each other. For example, when you sit in front of the fireplace on a cold winter night, you notice that the fire causes the wood to turn into ash. That is a chemical change because the ash cannot change back into its original form, the piece of wood.
3Your ears allow you to detect properties of sound like loudness, pitch, and rhythm. While listening to music, you notice subtle changes in the speed of the music, the types of instruments that are being used, and specific beats that are representative of different cultures. When you touch objects, you not only discover their size and shape, but you also find out about their texture. For example, as you compare two different types of toilet tissue, you may notice that the texture of one type is softer than the other type. Using your sense of touch can help you to compare similarities and differences between objects.
4Taste helps you to notice the bitter, sweet, salty, and sour properties of food. Of course, as a scientist you cannot go around tasting everything in the laboratory, but you understand that it is still an important observation tool. Think about some of the world's greatest chefs. Although they follow a recipe, they will frequently taste their dishes to determine if they need to add more seasoning or other ingredients. Like scientists, chefs realize that the right mixture of ingredients will help them to achieve the perfect dish.
5Finally, your sense of smell helps you to associate odors with objects. When people describe odors, they usually say, "It smells like..." to give others the idea about their smelling experience. An example of this would be describing perfume by saying, "It smells like a bouquet of roses." You use your prior experience with odors, good and bad, to describe the new odors that you encounter.
6Given that science is not perfect, there are situations where using all of your senses is not possible. When people have lost their sense of sight or hearing, the other senses become sharper. They have to rely on those senses to make observations that others would make using their sight or hearing.
7Once you have used your senses to observe your environment, then you are able to use the information to compare and contrast events and objects. An important part of observations is the ability to notice similarities and differences between events and objects. As a scientist, you would also notice how events and objects change over time. For example, you have recorded your observations about the properties of the cottage cheese you had for lunch. It's a solid, it looks white and lumpy, and it tastes reasonably good given that it is cottage cheese. If you choose to save a portion for mid-afternoon in your locker, then your nose may notice another interesting change. Not only will your locker have an interesting smell, but the cottage cheese will have a very different appearance.
8As scientists observing is an important part of examining scientific phenomenon. You have been observing since you were an infant. Remember, the eye identifies the answers to future scientific puzzles. The other senses join along for the ride.
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Eye Identify!
1. / When observing, you use your ______senses to notice events and objects in your environment.Seven Five
Six Nine
/ 2. / Using your sense of sight is the only way to determine shape and size of an object.
False
True
3. / Which of the following are observations that suggest properties of objects or events?
The car was parked in the student parking lot.
That mixture is yellow with brown spots floating on top.
That mixture is on the scientist's desk.
The sweater at the Gap was nice.
/ 4. / Which of the following are observations that suggest interaction between objects or events?
A log burning in the fireplace.
You watching television after dinner.
A box sitting on the kitchen counter.
A sock lying on your bed.
5. / How does your sense of hearing help you to observe objects or events?
/ 6. / How does your sense of taste help you to observe objects?
7. / Your sense of smell allows you to ______.
Communicate odors
Infer odors
Associate odors with objects
Predict odors
/ 8. / You are asked to compare a computer to a television. Describe what you would notice about these two objects including their similarities and differences.
Eye Identify!
You are a pair of feet. Write about what your feet might see if there were eyeballs on the top of your shoes.
1Five
2False
3That mixture is yellow with brown spots floating on top.
4A log burning in the fireplace.
5Your sense of hearing allows you to notice properties of sound like pitch, loudness, and rhythm. Your hearing also allows you to detect changes in those properties and to compare sounds to other previously heard sounds.
6Your sense of taste allows you to notice the bitter, salty, sweet, and sour properties of food.
7Associate odors with objects
8Answers will vary, but should include reference to size, shape, and uses of both objects.