The answer is 3. Observation
Explanation:
The sentence "The popcorn kernels popped twice as fast as the last batch" is the result of observing or measuring the time popcorn kernels require to pop. In this context, the sentence best matches the word "observation" which the term used in the Scientific method to refer to statements that are the result of studying a phenomenon, either through the senses such as sight or through precise instruments that allow scientists to understand numerically variables such as time, speed, temperature, etc.
