Question

1. lava is coming down the sides of the volcano.
2. the compsosaurus has sharp teeth for eating meat.

suppose you are a paleontologist and you have just discovered a layer of rock with many fossils in it, both petrified bones and tracks. decide whether the following statements are observations or inferences.

1. there are tracks from three different animals in the rock. a.observation
2. one animal was chasing another animal. b. inference
3. two different animals died in this spot.
4. when the animals walked here the ground was wet.
5. one of the animals that died here had bony plates.
6. one of the animals that died here had sharp teeth.
7. the animal that had sharp teeth ate meat.

Explanation:

An observation is a direct - noted fact, while an inference is a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning.

1. There are tracks from three different animals in the rock is an observation as it is a direct statement about what is seen in the rock.
2. One animal was chasing another animal is an inference as it requires interpretation of the track evidence.
3. Two different animals died in this spot is an inference as it is not directly observable but deduced from the presence of bones.
4. When the animals walked here the ground was wet is an inference as the wetness of the ground is not directly seen but deduced from the nature of the tracks.
5. One of the animals that died here had bony plates is an observation if the bony plates are directly visible in the fossils.
6. One of the animals that died here had sharp teeth is an observation if the sharp teeth are directly visible in the fossils.
7. The animal that had sharp teeth ate meat is an inference as eating meat is a behavior deduced from the presence of sharp teeth.

Answer:

1. A. Observation
2. B. Inference
3. B. Inference
4. B. Inference
5. A. Observation
6. A. Observation
7. B. Inference