A student wants to investigate if the proposed development of new houses in his neighborhood will affect the sediment levels of water in his local watershed. What would be the best way to test his question?

Question

Responses

Measure the temperature of the water daily, starting a month before development and ending a month after.
Measure the temperature of the water daily, starting a month before development and ending a month after.

Plant trees along local water ways to catch sediment from running into the water.
Plant trees along local water ways to catch sediment from running into the water.

Petition the development company to stop building houses and cutting down trees.
Petition the development company to stop building houses and cutting down trees.

Measure the sediment levels of the water daily, starting a month before development and ended a month after.
Measure the sediment levels of the water daily, starting a month before development and ended a month after.

Answer 1

The best way to test the student's question would be to measure the sediment levels of the water daily, starting a month before development and ending a month after. This would directly assess the impact of the new houses on sediment levels in the watershed.