Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Period: __________

Qualitative & Quantitative Observations

Directions: Read the following paragraph. Then in the chart below, classify each of the underlined
observations into the appropriate column, either quantitative or qualitative. There are a total of 10
observations.

A group of scientists were examining a rock from the planet Zarluke. They ran several tests
on it and made many observations. First of all, they saw that the rock was deep purple in
color. The mass of the rock was 17.24 grams. It was very hard. The rock was about 9 cm
long. It was also had thirty-two tiny pits in it. The texture of the rock was very rough. It also
had a really bad odor. It was definitely flammable because parts of it caught fire as one
scientist accidentally placed the rock next to a heat source. The rock had a volume of 152
cm3. Interestingly, the rock was always very hot. This Zarlukian rock sure was strange.

Qualitative Quantitative
Observations Observations

INFERENCES and OBSERVATIONS

Suppose your friends went to the beach at noon on a warm day. They saw some black and white
birds. Which of the following statements are observations and which are inferences? Indicate your
answer with either the letter “O” for an observation, or the letter “I” for an inference.

1. _____________ It is summertime.

2. _____________ It is daytime.

3. _____________ They saw birds.

4. _____________ They saw seaguils.

5. _____________ They went swimming.

6. _____________ One friend’s name was Bob.

7. _____________ It was a warm day.

8. _____________ The birds were black and white.

9. _____________ They ate lunch and drank Coca-Cola.

10. _____________ The people are friends.

 Observation and Inference Practice

Answer the following as If you were looking at the scene below in person.

1. Make 3 qualitative observations about the scene above:

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Make 3 quantitative observations about the scene above:

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Make 3 inferences about the scene above:

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________