Limitation of Observation

The sense organs help to make observations about the things in the environment.

The measurements help to- give a numerical value for observations carried out by the sense organs. Observations become more scientific when a numerical value is given to a thing that is only with a sense value.

Some observations and the sense organs that help to observe are given in the following table.

Observation                                        Sense organ

Seeing an object                                                Eye

Hearing a sound                                                Ear

           

Tasting a food                                                   Tongue

           

Smelling a flower                                              Nose

           

Feeling pain /hotness /coldness                       Skin

/touch/pressure

Investigating the environment using the sense organs with special attention is called observation. Observation is the most important step in the scientific process. Can you see each and everything by your naked eye?

There are limitations in observations perceived by the sense organs. Investments have been devised to observe things which are beyond the scope of our sense organs.

Take a peel from the lower surface of a leaf and see it with your naked eye. You will not be able to see anything clear. Now look at the same peel with magnifying glass. You will see the peel magnified, but it is still not very clear. You will see it more clearly by using an optical microscope.

Did you know

The living organisms are built up of cells. Plants are built up of plant cells while the animals are built up of animal cells.

Microscope

Most of the things in environment can be identified by vision. The things that can’t be identified with the naked eye, should be observed under a microscope or a magnifying glass.

Magnifying Glass

A telescope and binocular can be used to get a clear close up of distant object.

Some observations and the instruments that help for the observation

Observation                                                                                 Instrument

To measure the temperature                                                      Thermometer   

To measure the length of an object                                            Ruler/ measuring tape

To measure the pressure of a tyre tube                                     Barometer       

To get a clear close up of distant object                                     Binocular         

To read very tiny letters                                                             Magnifying glass

To see the things that can’t be seen with the naked eye           Microscope

Expected observations are the observations that were expected to see. The observations that were not expected to see are known as unexpected observations. The inventions of science are the results of expected as unexpected observations.