Questions: QUESTION 2 Why did whalers hunt sperm whales? a. The oil in their heads made bright, clean light. b. The meat was the best tasting of all the whales. c. They were considered pests that needed to be eradicated. d. They had lots of blubber to turn into oil.

The answer is a. The oil in their heads made bright, clean light.

This is correct. Sperm whales were primarily hunted for the spermaceti oil found in their heads. This oil was highly valued because it produced a bright, clean light when burned in lamps, making it a preferred choice for lighting before the advent of electric lights.

This is incorrect. While some cultures did consume whale meat, the primary reason for hunting sperm whales was not for their meat but for the valuable spermaceti oil.

This is incorrect. Sperm whales were not hunted because they were considered pests. The primary motivation was economic, driven by the demand for spermaceti oil.

This is partially correct but not the main reason. While sperm whales do have blubber that can be rendered into oil, the primary reason they were hunted was for the spermaceti oil in their heads, which was more valuable and had unique properties compared to regular whale oil.