Why it's impossible to weigh a whale on a scale:
* Size: Whales are massive, some reaching over 100 tons! No scale on Earth could handle that weight.
* Habitat: Whales live in the ocean, making it impossible to easily get them onto a scale.
How we estimate a whale's weight:
* Length and girth measurements: We can use the length and circumference of the whale to estimate its volume.
* Density: We know the approximate density of a whale's body.
* Calculations: By multiplying the estimated volume by the density, we can get an approximation of the whale's weight.
Other methods:
* Archimedes' Principle: Scientists can use a method similar to Archimedes' Principle. They measure how much water a whale displaces when it swims, and use that to calculate its volume and weight.
* Acoustic methods: Scientists can use sound waves to create a 3D model of the whale and estimate its volume.
Important Note: These methods provide estimations, not exact weights. There's always some margin of error.