Research studies on albatrosses and other soaring birds have found

Question

Research studies on albatrosses and other soaring birds have found that the least intrusive geolocation tag placement, defined as the placement that minimizes interference with movement, is close to the center of the bird's back. While the placement increases drag when the birds dive into the water, it does not affect the birds’ ability to stay aloft for days at a time because the feathers of the back aren’t used for lift during soaring. However, the majority of studies on birds in general indicate that the least intrusive geolocation tag placement is under the tailfeathers, a placement that would cause great instability during flight but that doesn’t interfere with underwater movement.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the exception noted above?

A. Albatrosses are much larger than other soaring birds, so geolocation tags make up less of their total body weight.

B. Geolocation tagging practices have changed over time to include smaller devices.

C. Soaring doesn’t involve the tailfeathers, so geotag placement there will not affect movement.

D. Albatrosses tend to expend less energy than other birds while soaring because of their large wingspan.

E. The majority of studies were done on penguins, which don’t fly but do spend much of their time hunting underwater.

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bv8562 · Answer

E IMO: The majority of studies were done on penguins, which don’t fly but do spend much of their time hunting underwater.

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DrAnkita91 · Answer

please can anyone let me know why option c is wrong and why option d is correct
thanks in advance

Bunuel · Answer

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

In this “explain the paradox” question, you are told that for albatrosses, placing geolocation tags in the middle of the back of the bird interferes less with bird movement than does placing geolocation tags under the tail feathers. However most studies on birds in general show the opposite to be true. In looking to resolve this paradox, you should ask yourself - what makes albatrosses and soaring birds special compared to other birds studied?

Choice (A) makes a distinction between albatrosses and other soaring birds. Since both albatrosses and soaring birds are addressed together, this doesn’t given information as to why these birds are more affected by one geolocation tag placement and other birds are more affected by another. Eliminate (A).

Choice (B) can be eliminated because it deals with change over time - something that isn’t addressed within the question. All the studies referenced could have been in the last year or they could have been over the course of 20 years. There’s no way of knowing, so there’s no way of knowing whether this would have an affect on placement.

If choice (C) was true, then soaring birds would be less affected by placing the geolocation tags than would other flying birds, not more.

Choice (D) can also be eliminated. The question deals with relative interference with movement, not the absolute amount of energy expended.

Choice (E) is correct. You are told that geolocation tags can affect drag (which occurs in the water) and lift (which occurs in the air). Since you are told that penguins can’t fly but that they do swim, you can conclude that only drag matters, so if the majority of studies were done on penguins, then the majority of studies would say that the ideal placement is under the tailfeathers.

Potatae · Answer

I saw few comments asking why 
C is wrong. 
Its because "soaring doesn't involve tailfearings. So geotagging there would not affect moveent" disrectly disproves premise 1: research that shows best location for geotagging on soaring birds is back.

It heightens the discrepancy. Because it proves that research 1 is wrong. Which is the opposite of what the question here is asking you to do.

Research studies on albatrosses and other soaring birds have found

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Research studies on albatrosses and other soaring birds have found

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