Question

Terrence is testing the physical properties of some items in his science classroom. He collects a pair a scissors, a paper clip, a thumbtack and tweezers as shown in the images below. His teacher tells him that all of the items he is observing are made from the same metal.

Which of the following physical property is different for each of the objects observed?
a. mass
b. density
c. magnetism
d. electrical conductivity

Answer 1

The different physical property among the objects observed is electrical conductivity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The different physical property among the objects observed is d. electrical conductivity.

Electrical conductivity is a physical property that describes the ability of a material to conduct electricity. Metals are generally good conductors of electricity, while nonmetals are poor conductors.

In this case, while all the objects may be made from the same metal, they may have different shapes or structures that affect their electrical conductivity. For example, the scissors and tweezers may have insulated handles that limit their conductivity compared to the paper clip and thumbtack.

Answer 2

The physical property that will vary among the scissors, paper clip, thumbtack, and tweezers, despite being made of the same metal, is mass. This is because mass depends on the size and design of each item, whereas density, magnetism, and electrical conductivity are consistent for a given metal. Option A is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Terrence observes the physical properties of scissors, a paper clip, a thumbtack, and tweezers, which are all made from the same metal, he is looking for a characteristic that differs despite the items being made of the same material. The physical properties to consider are mass, density, magnetism, and electrical conductivity.

Mass is the measure of the amount of matter in an object and will vary for each item because they are different sizes and shapes. However, if all the items are composed of the same metal, they should exhibit the same density (mass per unit volume) as long as there are no significant differences in their internal structures. Magnetism is a property that depends on the material's composition, and since the items are made from the same metal, they should all respond to magnetic fields in the same way, assuming the metal is magnetic. Similarly, electrical conductivity, which is the ability of a material to conduct an electric current, should be consistent across the items if they are made from the same metal.

Considering that density, magnetism, and electrical conductivity are intrinsic properties of a material that should not vary if the items are made from the same material, the property that would be different for each of the objects Terrence is observing is their mass, as this depends on the size and design of each item.

Therefore, the correct option answer for the different physical property of each item is a. mass.