Which of the following is a qualitative observation in the classification of matter?

• A. The volume of a substance
• B. The mass of a substance
• C. The color of a substance
• D. The density of a substance

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations. Qualitative observations describe qualities or characteristics that are not measured with numbers, such as color, texture, or smell. Quantitative observations involve measurements and numbers, such as mass, volume, or density.
2. Identify the options given in the problem: volume, mass, color, and density. Determine which of these are qualitative and which are quantitative.
3. Volume is a quantitative observation because it involves measuring the amount of space a substance occupies, typically in units like liters or cubic meters.
4. Mass is a quantitative observation because it involves measuring the amount of matter in a substance, typically in units like grams or kilograms.
5. Color is a qualitative observation because it describes a characteristic of the substance that does not involve numerical measurement. Density, like mass and volume, is quantitative because it is calculated as mass divided by volume.