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15 Dec 2025, 09:00
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B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
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48% (02:01) correct
52%
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Materials scientist: “Ripple bands” are patterned surface formations consisting of a raised ring of coarse grains surrounding a center of finer grains. They are found mainly on high-altitude desert flats. In attempts to explain how they were formed, two hypotheses are currently most commonly debated: one proposes wind abrasion, the other proposes chemical crystallization. But wind abrasion cannot be the complete explanation for the uniformity in width of the ripple bands on the Atira Plateau, located in a region with highly variable wind patterns. Therefore, chemical crystallization, either from saline groundwater or surface deposits, was likely involved in the formation of the bands.
Which of the following would, if true, most weaken the scientist’s argument?
A. Field measurements show that wind abrasion is currently occurring at many ripple-band sites on the Atira Plateau.
B. The two hypotheses do not exhaust the possibilities regarding formation processes for ripple bands.
C. The definition given for ripple bands excludes many surface features that may be caused by wind abrasion or chemical crystallization.
D. The ripple bands on the Atira Plateau were probably not all formed at the same time.
E. Neither of the two hypotheses explains how coarse and fine grains came to be on the Atira Plateau in the first place.
Which of the following would, if true, most weaken the scientist’s argument?
A. Field measurements show that wind abrasion is currently occurring at many ripple-band sites on the Atira Plateau.
B. The two hypotheses do not exhaust the possibilities regarding formation processes for ripple bands.
C. The definition given for ripple bands excludes many surface features that may be caused by wind abrasion or chemical crystallization.
D. The ripple bands on the Atira Plateau were probably not all formed at the same time.
E. Neither of the two hypotheses explains how coarse and fine grains came to be on the Atira Plateau in the first place.
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15 Dec 2025, 09:16
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The correct answer is (B).
Here is the straightforward logic:
The scientist is acting like a bad detective. They have set up a world where there are only two suspects: Suspect A (Wind) and Suspect B (Chemicals).
They look at the evidence and say, "Well, the evidence doesn't fit Suspect A (Wind). The wind is messy, but these lines are neat."
So they conclude, "Therefore, it must be Suspect B (Chemicals)!"
The flaw: What if there is a Suspect C? Or D?
What if the ripple bands were formed by water erosion? Or magnetic fields? Or seismic vibrations?
If there are other possibilities that the scientist didn't even bother to list, then proving "It wasn't wind" proves absolutely nothing about chemicals. It just proves "It wasn't wind."
That is exactly what Option (B) points out:
"The two hypotheses do not exhaust the possibilities..."
It’s basically saying: "Hey, you forgot to check if it was water or gravity."
Why the others miss the mark:
(A) says wind is happening now. That doesn't matter. The scientist already said wind creates the wrong shape. Even if the wind is blowing today, if it makes messy shapes and the bands are neat, the scientist is still right to doubt the wind.
(C)This argues about semantics. We are interested in explaining the actual ripple bands on the Atira Plateau, not the ones excluded by the definition.
(D) says they were formed at different times. This is a weak argument. Even if they were formed years apart, it doesn't explain how they were formed.
(E) talks about where the sand came from. The argument is about how the sand was arranged. Those are two different problems.
Here is the straightforward logic:
The scientist is acting like a bad detective. They have set up a world where there are only two suspects: Suspect A (Wind) and Suspect B (Chemicals).
They look at the evidence and say, "Well, the evidence doesn't fit Suspect A (Wind). The wind is messy, but these lines are neat."
So they conclude, "Therefore, it must be Suspect B (Chemicals)!"
The flaw: What if there is a Suspect C? Or D?
What if the ripple bands were formed by water erosion? Or magnetic fields? Or seismic vibrations?
If there are other possibilities that the scientist didn't even bother to list, then proving "It wasn't wind" proves absolutely nothing about chemicals. It just proves "It wasn't wind."
That is exactly what Option (B) points out:
"The two hypotheses do not exhaust the possibilities..."
It’s basically saying: "Hey, you forgot to check if it was water or gravity."
Why the others miss the mark:
(A) says wind is happening now. That doesn't matter. The scientist already said wind creates the wrong shape. Even if the wind is blowing today, if it makes messy shapes and the bands are neat, the scientist is still right to doubt the wind.
(C)This argues about semantics. We are interested in explaining the actual ripple bands on the Atira Plateau, not the ones excluded by the definition.
(D) says they were formed at different times. This is a weak argument. Even if they were formed years apart, it doesn't explain how they were formed.
(E) talks about where the sand came from. The argument is about how the sand was arranged. Those are two different problems.
Bunuel
15 Dec 2025, 09:26
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conclusion - Chemical crystallization, either from saline groundwater or surface deposits, was likely involved in the formation of the bands
Line of reasoning - Wind abrasion cannot be the complete explanation for the uniformity in width of the ripple band on the Atira Plateau
Since this is a weaking question, we must give a reason for the conclusion to not hold true
Option A - this talks about how wind abrasion is currently occurring at many ripple band sites - but so what? how is this affecting our conclusion - cross A
Option B - this says there are other possibilities regarding the formation - hold on B
Option C - may be caused by wind abrasion or chemical crystallization? talks about both wind abrasion & chemical crystallization, and doesn't support either one - cross C
Option D - this talks about when the ripple bands have formed. We are looking for a HOW and not a WHEN - cross D
Option E - how coarse and fine grains came? we don't care about how these grains came - we are talking about the ripple bands in their entirety
First time writing an explanation, bear with me if I sound juvenile, please
Thanks,
Swetha
Line of reasoning - Wind abrasion cannot be the complete explanation for the uniformity in width of the ripple band on the Atira Plateau
Since this is a weaking question, we must give a reason for the conclusion to not hold true
Option A - this talks about how wind abrasion is currently occurring at many ripple band sites - but so what? how is this affecting our conclusion - cross A
Option B - this says there are other possibilities regarding the formation - hold on B
Option C - may be caused by wind abrasion or chemical crystallization? talks about both wind abrasion & chemical crystallization, and doesn't support either one - cross C
Option D - this talks about when the ripple bands have formed. We are looking for a HOW and not a WHEN - cross D
Option E - how coarse and fine grains came? we don't care about how these grains came - we are talking about the ripple bands in their entirety
First time writing an explanation, bear with me if I sound juvenile, please
Thanks,
Swetha
Bunuel
15 Dec 2025, 09:37
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There may be a third explanation for the ripple bands. First two the most debated does not mean that either of them is the cause of the ripple band effect.
