Question

read the scenario.
hemlocks are a common type of tree in the northern forests of the united states. in studying one forest, a forester noticed that mature hemlocks were abundant but there were very few young hemlocks. she wondered why there were so few young hemlocks. by reading the records that other foresters in that area had kept, she learned that the population of deer living in the forest had doubled in the last five years. by reading studies on forests that other scientists had performed, she also learned that deer in similar forests like to eat young hemlocks and the young trees of other species.

in the scenario, the forester wonders why one forest had mature hemlocks and very few young hemlocks. which part of a scientific method does this best illustrate?
○ communicating the results of a study
○ forming a hypothesis
○ making an observation and asking a question
○ setting up an experiment

Explanation:

The forester first observed the abundance of mature hemlocks and scarcity of young ones, then wondered (asked a question) about the reason. This matches "making an observation and asking a question" in the scientific method. Other options: "communicating results" is about sharing, not done here; "forming a hypothesis" is a proposed explanation, not just wondering; "setting up an experiment" involves testing, not just observing and questioning.

Answer:

making an observation and asking a question