2006-09-18 10:29:18 · 22 answers · asked by Nessa 1 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Of course, a pound equals a pound....so there will be a bunch more feathers than the lead, but will weigh the same. I think it's because when people hear it, they visualize, oh well one feather is light but lead is a heavy metal....
2006-09-18 10:31:00 · answer #1 · answered by everfair 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The answer to why people explain incorrectly. Would be because people would analyze the actual items being compared first rather than their weight. Secondly they would compare the quantity of feathers needed to make a pound and compare that to the same quantity of lead as feathers.
So they would imagine 1 huge stack of feathers and then the same size stack of lead, ask which is bigger and then give the answer.
2006-09-18 10:33:45 · answer #2 · answered by NumberCruncher 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They weigh the same. A pound is a pound no matter what it is made of. Feathers, there will be alot more to make a pound.
2006-09-18 10:37:42 · answer #3 · answered by Fleur de Lis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1 pound = 1 pound
people just picture feathers weighing less than lead.
it's more of a psychology experiment than science test.
2006-09-18 10:37:13 · answer #4 · answered by cw 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hahaha, that's an old one. They both are POUNDS, so it doesn't matter what's the content, they weigh the same. People get confused because they only "hear" lead and feathers and don't "hear" the most important info.
2006-09-18 10:32:18 · answer #5 · answered by latgal73 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A pound is a pound no matter what. It is like, if a rooster sat on the peak of a roof and laid an egg, what side would it roll down? People always get that wrong too.
2006-09-18 10:32:23 · answer #6 · answered by rachely1 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A pound is a pound what's to explain. I suspect unless it's a smart remark people answer correctly, it may be that the questioner doesn't like the answer.
2006-09-18 10:33:34 · answer #7 · answered by madjer21755 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They both weigh the same. I guess why people tend to get it wrong is that they dont pay much attention to the weight that is being asked about. Instead their focus is on the objects.
2006-09-18 10:37:32 · answer #8 · answered by Milly 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
neither. the answer is in the question--they both weigh a pound.
2006-09-18 21:41:38 · answer #9 · answered by emily_rose_4 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because people are stupid. A pound is a pound, now ask which takes up more space.
2006-09-18 10:37:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋