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Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended

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Erjan_S
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Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 29 Sep 2023, 12:55
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Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended from about 250 to 200 million years ago, has traditionally been blamed on volcanic eruptions that went on for 600,000 years. However, a researcher has recently suggested that these eruptions were only an indirect cause. By analyzing the isotopic composition of hydrocarbon molecules from plant waxes from the period, he discovered what looks like a spike in the amount of non biological carbon in the atmosphere, lasting between 10,000 and 20,000 years. The researcher believes that the release of methane—a carbon-containing greenhouse gas much stronger than carbon dioxide—stored at the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic.

The journalist suggests that a certain causal sequence may have brought about the end of the Triassic period. Identify in the table the sequence of cause and effect most strongly suggested by the journalist to have resulted in the end of the Triassic. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Cause Effect
The emissions of volcanoes into the atmosphere
The extinction of many oceanic biological species
The eruption of volcanoes
The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean
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Cause: The eruption of volcanoes Effect: The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean

Originally posted by Erjan_S on 11 Nov 2017, 23:46.
Last edited by BottomJee on 29 Sep 2023, 12:55, edited 5 times in total.
Updated - Complete topic (56).
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   18 Jan 2018, 02:23
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I would go for:

Cause
The eruption of volcanoes

Effect
The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   21 Jan 2018, 00:18
Erjan_S wrote:
Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended from about 250 to 200 million years ago, has traditionally been blamed on volcanic eruptions that went on for 600,000 years. However, a researcher has recently suggested that these eruptions were only an indirect cause. By analyzing the isotopic composition of hydrocarbon molecules from plant waxes from the period, he discovered what looks like a spike in the amount of nonbiological carbon in the atmosphere, lasting between 10,000 and 20,000 years. The researcher believes that the release of methane—a carbon-containing greenhouse gas much stronger than carbon dioxide—stored at the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic.

The journalist suggests that a certain causal sequence may have brought about the end of the Triassic period. Identify in the table the sequence of cause and effect most strongly suggested by the journalist to have resulted in the end of the Triassic. Make only two selections, one in each column.

Cause Effect
The emissions of volcanoes into the atmosphere


The extinction of many oceanic biological species


The eruption of volcanoes


The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere


The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean



IMO, cause : The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean
effect : The reelase of carbon dioxide into the atmostphere

A.The emissions of volcanoes into the atmosphere
-> The journalist argues that emissons of volcanoes are indirect reason.
B.The extinction of many oceanic biological species
-> Not mentioned
C.The eruption of volcanoes
-> Same as A
D.The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
-> The journalist argues that there was 'the amount of nonbiological carbon in the atmosphere'.
So it would be effect.
E.The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean
-> The journalist argues that the release of methan is direct cause. So cause is E

I am not sure this is correct. If not, is there anyone who can let me know what is correct?
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   23 Sep 2020, 23:44
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Could someone explain the answer to this?

Shouldn't the cause be release of methane and effect be volcano eruption?
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   17 Feb 2021, 04:32
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srishti246 wrote:
Could someone explain the answer to this?

Shouldn't the cause be release of methane and effect be volcano eruption?


As per my understanding,
one of the statements in the question is :
However, a researcher has recently suggested that these eruptions were only an indirect cause. - I

so , the researcher is not ruling out this cause, instead stating it as an indirect cause.
Then the researcher mentions methane at the bottom of the ocean to be the cause. (implying direct cause) -II

so I can be the cause and II the effect - which means II becomes the direct cause of the extinction and I is the indirect cause .
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   18 Mar 2021, 22:20
Not sure this is the greatest question...unless you knew what the "Triassic period" was...presumably it was the age of the dinosaurs.

Cause: Release of methane from the bottom of the ocean
Effect: Extinction of many species

Cause-----Effect

---[]----------[]---------The emissions of volcanoes into the atmosphere
---[]----------[]---------The extinction of many oceanic biological species
---[]----------[]---------The eruption of volcanoes
---[]----------[]---------The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
---[]----------[]---------The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   24 Aug 2021, 07:55
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Official Explanation

The wording of the passage suggests that the answers may depend on one another, in that the correctness of one response may depend on the correctness of the other.

Although volcanoes emit various gases, such emissions are not claimed by the journalist to have brought about the end of the Triassic. The journalist indicates that volcanic eruptions were an indirect cause of the end of the Triassic. The eruptions might thus have been a cause of the end of the Triassic, but only because of certain effects that they had. The journalist then indicates that the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic. This very strongly suggests that, according to the journalist, the eruption of volcanoes—an indirect cause of the end of the Triassic—resulted in a release of methane from the bottom of the ocean, which in turn resulted in the end of the Triassic.

The correct answer are The eruption of volcanoes and The release of methane from the bottom of the ocean.
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   04 May 2023, 05:39
dear Sajjad1994

why strongly suggest that the eruption of volcanoes resulted in a release of methane from the Botton of the ocean
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   04 May 2023, 09:48
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zoezhuyan wrote:
dear Sajjad1994

why strongly suggest that the eruption of volcanoes resulted in a release of methane from the Botton of the ocean


The journalist starts by mentioning that the traditional view is that volcanic eruptions caused the end of the Triassic period. However, the journalist goes on to say that a researcher has suggested a different, more direct cause for the end of the Triassic. The researcher believes that the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic. Therefore, the sequence of cause and effect most strongly suggested by the journalist is the eruption of volcanoes causing the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean, leading to the end of the Triassic period.

Option A is incorrect because the journalist suggests that volcanic emissions may have been an indirect cause, not the direct cause.

Option B is incorrect because the journalist does not mention the extinction of many oceanic biological species as a cause of the end of the Triassic period.

Option D is incorrect because the journalist does not mention the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as a cause of the end of the Triassic period.
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   04 May 2023, 22:46
Dear Sajjad1994

Sajjad1994 wrote:

The journalist starts by mentioning that the traditional view is that volcanic eruptions caused the end of the Triassic period. However, the journalist goes on to say that a researcher has suggested a different, more direct cause for the end of the Triassic. The researcher believes that the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic. Therefore, the sequence of cause and effect most strongly suggested by the journalist is the eruption of volcanoes causing the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean, leading to the end of the Triassic period.


I am little confused, why the indirected cause, volcanic eruptions, will cause the direct one, the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean

in my opinion, indirect cause is just not the direct the cause of end , but it is highly possible that the indirect cause combines with other factors to lead end, while it is not necessary to caue the direct cause.

Thanks for your further clarify.

Posted from my mobile device
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink] New post   07 May 2023, 00:38
Expert Reply
zoezhuyan wrote:
Dear Sajjad1994

Sajjad1994 wrote:

The journalist starts by mentioning that the traditional view is that volcanic eruptions caused the end of the Triassic period. However, the journalist goes on to say that a researcher has suggested a different, more direct cause for the end of the Triassic. The researcher believes that the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic. Therefore, the sequence of cause and effect most strongly suggested by the journalist is the eruption of volcanoes causing the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean, leading to the end of the Triassic period.


I am little confused, why the indirected cause, volcanic eruptions, will cause the direct one, the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean

in my opinion, indirect cause is just not the direct the cause of end , but it is highly possible that the indirect cause combines with other factors to lead end, while it is not necessary to caue the direct cause.

Thanks for your further clarify.

Posted from my mobile device


I am not sure what exactly you want to say in the highlighted lines above, In my opinion thinking your way will only make the question unnecessarily confusing. Just read in the question statement what researcher want to say. The answer is based on the interpretation of the researcher.

"The journalist indicates that volcanic eruptions were an indirect cause of the end of the Triassic. The eruptions might thus have been a cause of the end of the Triassic, but only because of certain effects that they had. The journalist then indicates that the release of methane from the bottom of the ocean was the direct cause of the end of the Triassic."

This make us reach the answer easier and give us the sequence of what is direct and what is indirect. We don't need to know each and every step of this whole process rather we just need to know what is direct and what is indirect effect of ending the Triassic.
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Re: Journalist: The end of the Triassic, the geologic period that extended [#permalink]
07 May 2023, 00:38
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