A geochemist examines a piece of metal that he found in the soil. He performs tests to identify the metal from its density, electrical conductivity, and melting point. Which statement best describes his investigation?

A)He is determining physical properties that are sufficient to identify the metal.
B)He is determining chemical properties that are sufficient to identify the metal.
C)He is determining physical properties that are insufficient to identify the metal.
D)He is determining chemical properties that are insufficient to identify the metal.

Question

A geochemist examines a piece of metal that he found in the soil. He performs tests to identify the metal from its density, electrical conductivity, and melting point. Which statement best describes his investigation?

A)He is determining physical properties that are sufficient to identify the metal.
B)He is determining chemical properties that are sufficient to identify the metal.
C)He is determining physical properties that are insufficient to identify the metal.
D)He is determining chemical properties that are insufficient to identify the metal.

anonymous · Answer

He is determining no chemical properties, so answers B and D are wrong.
Choosing between A and C is difficult.  If the metal is an alloy, the answer is probably C.  If the metal is an element, the answer is probably A -- but if the metal is a rare-earth element, the answer still might be C since they are difficult to distinguish.  In the end, I'd go with C, with the understanding that he might get lucky and identify it anyway.

anonymous · Answer

it's absolutely A or C but i don't know these information can help him in determining that metal.