The mystery of cloud formation is as ancient as mankind. Throughout hi

Question

The mystery of cloud formation is as ancient as mankind. Throughout history, man prayed for rain and feared snow and lightning. Only in the last few decades, was man able to experiment and answer many questions as to how clouds are formed. Lately, it has seemed that no almost queries were left in that field. However, a recent look at old experimental data is threatening to overturn a longstanding theory about how water droplets freeze within clouds.

Suspended water droplets can remain liquid even at temperatures far below the normal freezing point. Data collected in recent years show that clouds as cold as – 37.5°C can still contain many liquid droplets of water. Such droplets freeze solid almost instantly if they bump into each other or are otherwise disturbed Most scientists have long assumed that a tiny globule of pure, liquid water, when disturbed, begins to freeze around an icy seed that suddenly forms inside it. According to this scenario, the time needed to freeze a given volume of water dispersed into a fine mist is independent of the size of the individual droplets because the formation of a seed particle is a chance event.

However, the results of recent laboratory experiments, when combined with information gathered from tests conducted as many as 30 years ago, do not support this scenario. Together, the data indicate that the time needed to freeze a given volume of liquid water varies drastically according to droplet size. This extreme variation makes sense if freezing begins at the surface of the drops, not at the cores. Dividing a given volume of water into a large number of small droplets yields more total surface area than if the volume is split into a small number of large drops. The freezing rate would then depend on the surface area.

The laws of thermodynamics also argue against ice nuclei forming inside liquid droplets. When water molecules begin to assemble into ice crystals, they release large amounts of latent heat. If that process had occurred in the center of a liquid droplet, the heat would have remained trapped within the globule, slowing the freezing process. But if crystallization begins at the droplet's surface, latent heat can more easily transfer to the surrounding air. In this case, the droplets are so cold that heat released internally as crystallization proceeds probably would not melt the developing ice.

Familiar as clouds are, the behavior of their constituent droplets remains only partly understood. Lightning, rainfall, and other meteorological phenomena vary with the ratio of water droplets and ice particles in clouds. Linking freezing rates of clouds to those atmospheric and other climate processes is one of the most unreliable areas in current climate simulations.    1 
 1. According to the passage, if a given volume of water is divided into a large number of small droplets, as opposed to a smaller number or large droplets, it will freeze quicker. This indicates that

(A) a given volume of water yields more droplets when below freezing
(B) a given volume of water yields more droplets when above freezing
(C) freezing begins simultaneously both at the cores and at the surface of the drops
(D) freezing begins not at the surface of the drops, but at the cores
(E) freezing begins not at the cores of the drops, but at the surface

2 
 2. According to the passage, all of the following are characteristic of cloud droplets EXCEPT

(A) they periodically bump into each other
(B) the time needed to freeze a given volume of water dispersed into a fine mist is dependent on the size of the individual droplets
(C) can remain liquid even at temperatures far below the normal freezing point
(D) they are only partly understood by scientists
(E) they appear in the same amount in clouds involved in various meteorological phenomena

3 
 3. The passage suggests that many questions in the field of meteorology

(A) have been answered
(B) have no answers
(C) have yet to be answered
(D) have been answered incorrectly
(E) are uninteresting to scientists today

4 
 4. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) present several explanations for a well-known fact
(B) argue in favor of a long-standing theory
(C) discuss the implications of a new research finding
(D) present new evidence that overturns a long-standing theory
(E) question the methodology used in a study.

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 16 Date: 10-Jan-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: Reading Comprehension Practice (Docs)

gloomybison · Answer

I am not sure about Q3 to be honest...It is true that in the first paragraph the passage suggests that many questions in the study field are answered; "Only in the last few decades, was man able to experiment and answer many questions as to how clouds are formed. Lately, it has seemed that no almost queries were left in that field" 
However it doesn't necessarily suggests that many questions in the field of meteorology are answered because the quoted part above particularly refers to cloud formation and cloud formation is just a tiny part of meteorology. So if it said nephology, the study or contemplation of clouds, ı would agree, but meteorology is far larger...

Nishuchoudhary12 · Answer

Please explain Qno. 2 is option 2 is correct there ???

Posted from my mobile device

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. According to the passage, all of the following are characteristic of cloud droplets EXCEPT

Difficulty Level:   550-600

Explanation

This is an EXCEPT question, so an answer choice that cannot be validated with the help of the passage will be true. Let's read each answer choice and find the required answer.

(A) they periodically bump into each other

Yes! Second paragraph

(B) the time needed to freeze a given volume of water dispersed into a fine mist is dependent on the size of the individual droplets

Yes! Second and third paragraphs

(C) can remain liquid even at temperatures far below the normal freezing point

Yes! Second paragraph

(D) they are only partly understood by scientists

Yes! Last paragraph

(E) they appear in the same amount in clouds involved in various meteorological phenomena

No! This could not be true; hence is the answer. According to the passage, the ratio of water droplets and ice particles in clouds varies in lightning, rainfall, and other meteorological phenomena.

Answer: E

100mitra · Answer

Paraphrasing  
  Para 1:   Experimental data to overturn a longstanding theory about how water droplets freeze within clouds.
  Para 2:    Evidence 1 : Droplet behaviour at freezing temperature and time needed to freeze a given volume of water is independent of the size of the individual droplets
  Para 3:   Contrast to Evidence 1,  Evidence 2:  the time needed to freeze a given volume of liquid water varies drastically according to droplet size and its reason, freezing rate would then depend on the surface area.
  Para 4:   The laws of thermodynamics also argue against ice nuclei forming inside liquid droplets and amounts of latent heat release during crystallization
  Para 5:   Conclusion: The behavior of Clouds constituent droplets remains only partly understood. Linking freezing rates of clouds to those atmospheric and other climate processes is one of the most unreliable areas in current climate simulations.

1. According to the passage, if a given volume of water is divided into a 
large number of small droplets, as opposed to a 
smaller number or large droplets, it will freeze quicker. 
This indicates that  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in the passage, in para 3
1. This extreme variation makes sense ( if freezing begins at the surface of the drops, not at the cores )
2. Dividing a given volume of water into a large number of small droplets 
yields more total surface area than if the volume is split into a small number of large drops.
3. The freezing rate would then depend on the surface area

(A) a given volume of water yields more droplets when below freezing   - Wrong  
(B) a given volume of water yields more droplets when above freezing   - Wrong  
(C) freezing begins simultaneously both at the cores and at the surface of the drops   - Wrong  
(D) freezing begins not at the surface of the drops, but at the cores   - Wrong  
  (E) freezing begins not at the cores of the drops, but at the surface – Correct

2. According to the passage, all of the following are characteristic of cloud droplets  EXCEPT   
(A) they periodically bump into each other
 Yes, para 2, “Such droplets freeze solid almost instantly if they bump into each other or are otherwise disturbed”

(B) the time needed to freeze a given volume of water 
dispersed into a fine mist is 
dependent on the size of the individual droplets
 Yes, Para 3, “time needed to freeze a given volume of liquid water varies drastically according to droplet size”

(C) can remain liquid even at temperatures far below the normal freezing point
 Yes, Para 2, “the time needed to freeze a given volume of water dispersed into a fine mist is independent of the size of the individual droplets”
Yes, Para 3, 1st line, “Suspended water droplets can remain liquid even at temperatures far below the normal freezing point.”

(D) they are only partly understood by scientists
 Yes, last para 1st line, “Familiar as clouds are, the behavior of their constituent droplets remains only partly understood”

(E) they appear in the same amount in clouds involved in various meteorological phenomena
  Wrong, Correct one is, as mentioned in last para, “Lightning, rainfall, and other meteorological phenomena vary with the ratio of water droplets and ice particles in clouds”

3. The passage suggests that many questions in the field of meteorology  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in passage, 1st para, “only in the last few decades, was man able to experiment and answer many questions as to how clouds are formed. Lately, it has seemed that no almost queries were left in that field.”
  (A) have been answered - Correct  
(B) have no answers   - Wrong  
(C) have yet to be answered  - Wrong  
(D) have been answered incorrectly   - Wrong  
(E) are uninteresting to scientists today   - Wrong

4. The primary purpose of the passage is to  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in para 1, Author is presenting 
 Para 1  “However, a recent look at old experimental data is threatening to overturn a longstanding theory about how water droplets freeze within clouds”
 Para 2:  Evidence 1: Droplet behaviour at freezing temperature and time needed to freeze a given volume of water is independent of the size of the individual droplets
 Para 3:  Contrast to Evidence 1, Evidence 2: the time needed to freeze a given volume of liquid water varies drastically according to droplet size and its reason, freezing rate would then depend on the surface area.
 Para 4:  The laws of thermodynamics also argue against ice nuclei forming inside liquid droplets and amounts of latent heat release during crystallization

(A) present several explanations for a well-known fact
  - Wrong   not a well know fact, as mentioned in passage, 
“Familiar as clouds are, the behavior of their constituent droplets remains only partly understood”

(B) argue in favor of a long-standing theory
  - Wrong   No argument tone mentioned in the passage
 
(C) discuss the implications of a new research finding
  - Wrong   No Implication of new research finding is mentioned in the passage, easy elimination

(D) present new evidence that overturns a long-standing theory
Correct: as per explanation and supporting sentence mentioned from the passage

(E) question the methodology used in a study.
  - Wrong   No, methods or methodology discussed in question tone by the author

Prob2303 · Answer

Hello Sajjad,

Can you please send the OE for Q3?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. The passage suggests that many questions in the field of meteorology

Explanation

The author states that it has lately seemed that no almost queries were left in meteorology.

It is mentioned in the passage:

"only in the last few decades, was man able to experiment and answer many questions as to how clouds are formed. Lately, it has seemed that no almost queries were left in that field."

Answer: A

The mystery of cloud formation is as ancient as mankind. Throughout hi

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The mystery of cloud formation is as ancient as mankind. Throughout hi

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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