Impact craters caused by meteorites smashing into earth, have been found all around the globe but they have been found in the greatest density in geologically stable regions. This relatively greater abundance of securely identified craters in geologically stable regions must be explained by the lower rates of destructive geophysical processes in those regions.
The conclusion is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed?
(A) A meteorite that strikes exactly the same spot as an earlier meteorite will
obliterate all traces of the earlier impact. - WRONG. Tells nothing about rates of strike.
(B) Rates of destructive geophysical processes
within any given region vary markedly throughout geological time. - WRONG. It helps the passage on one side and does not help on the other depending on the rate.
(C) The rate at which the Earth is struck by meteorites has
greatly increased in geologically recent times. - WRONG. Irrelevant. Neither impacts the abundance of crater nor rates of destructive geophysical process.
(D) Actual meteorite
impacts have been scattered fairly evenly over the Earth's surface in the course of Earth's geological history. - CORRECT. POE helps. So those regions where craters have not been identified may have been too geologically active.
(E) The Earth's geologically stable regions have been
studied more intensively by geologists than have its less stable regions. - WRONG. May be the reason for being able to identify craters in greatest density in geologically stable regions but not that that explains lower rates of destructive geophysical processes.
Answer D.
_________________
Pain + Reflection = Progress | Ray Dalio
Good Books to read prior to MBA