V03-04

Question

Static electricity occurs when electrons are discharged, in the absence of a conductor, toward a positively charged object. Lightning is an intense form of static electricity produced when electrons accumulate at the base of a rain cloud. Because like charges repel, the excess electrons in the cloud push electrons in the ground away, leaving the ground with a net positive charge. When the difference in charge between cloud and ground becomes great enough, a lightning bolt is released. 
 
If the statements above are true, which of the following can properly be inferred?

A. The positive charge on the ground and the negative charge in the cloud must be equal in magnitude for a lightning strike to occur.
B. Because scientists understand charge movement, they can harness lightning to generate electricity for consumers.
C. A lightning bolt is produced when electrons flow from the negatively charged cloud to the positively charged ground.
D. Lightning is more likely during rainstorms because water can serve as a conductor.
E. Trees are more likely to be struck by lightning than open ground because they naturally carry a stronger positive charge.

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Static electricity occurs when electrons are discharged, in the absence of a conductor, toward a positively charged object. Lightning is an intense form of static electricity produced when electrons accumulate at the base of a rain cloud. Because like charges repel, the excess electrons in the cloud push electrons in the ground away, leaving the ground with a net positive charge. When the difference in charge between cloud and ground becomes great enough, a lightning bolt is released. 
 
If the statements above are true, which of the following can properly be inferred?

A. The positive charge on the ground and the negative charge in the cloud must be equal in magnitude for a lightning strike to occur.
B. Because scientists understand charge movement, they can harness lightning to generate electricity for consumers.
C. A lightning bolt is produced when electrons flow from the negatively charged cloud to the positively charged ground.
D. Lightning is more likely during rainstorms because water can serve as a conductor.
E. Trees are more likely to be struck by lightning than open ground because they naturally carry a stronger positive charge.

Situation:  The passage describes how lightning, as a type of static electricity, is generated by the interaction of positive and negative charges in the atmosphere.
 
  Reasoning:   What inference can be drawn from this information?  According to the first sentence, static electricity results from the movement of negatively-charged (-) electrons toward a positively-charged (+) substance or material. Since this movement of charges is the basic mechanism at work in static electricity, lightning as a form of static electricity could be expected to behave the same way. In this case, the movement is from a negatively-charged cloud (-) toward the positively-charged (+) ground.
   The charges here are opposite to the conditions that generate a bolt of lightning: the cloud has a  negative  charge and the ground has a  positive  charge. Also, the passage does not mention whether the charges should be equal.  
 The passage does not mention potential uses for  lightning technology.  
 The passage describes lightning as a type of static electricity, which would mean that, when lightning occurs, negative charges (electrons) are moving from a cloud toward the positively-charged ground. This answer choice correctly describes the process. 
 The passage does not discuss whether lightning is more likely to occur in the presence of rain. Also, the passage explicitly states that static electricity functions  without  a conductor.  
 The passage does not discuss whether trees or the ground or more likely to be struck, nor does it mention the positive or negative charge of trees.

Answer: C

XyLan · Answer

The  CORRECT  inference is DONE from the  data  provided  ONLY  in the argument.
When one combines data from the option and the argument  ------->  It's most likely  WRONG .

This is what  exactly  D & E are doing:  
 
D. Lightning bolts are more likely to occur when it is raining, since water can act as a conductor.
 The causal-statement  might  be true. 
However, In inference-Q, we do  NOT  have any place for  May/Might  or for  probabilities , unless backed by a  coherent  answer choice.

E. Trees are more likely to be struck by lightning than open ground, since they naturally tend toward a greater positive charge.
  NEVER  combine 
the data of the  option-choice  
 with  
data of  the argument  in reaching the  inference  of the  deemed option choice .

V03-04

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