A group of scientists wanted to investigate weather patterns in four cities across the United States. They conducted a series of experiments to look for similarities and differences among the four cities. The scientists measured wind speed and direction, amount of precipitation, and percentage of cloud cover for one week. Further explanation can be found below.

Experiment 1

Scientists measured wind speed using an anemometer at fifteen different locations around each city. Measurements were taken at each location three times a day and then averaged to get a daily wind speed for each city. This was repeated every day for one week, and the results were compiled into Table 1.

Experiment 2

Scientists set up barometers at five locations in each city. At the end of each day, the precipitation levels in the five barometers were averaged to find the average daily precipitation, and the results are compiled in Table 2.

Experiment 3

For the final experiment, scientists placed upward-facing cameras atop the ten tallest buildings in each city. The cameras took one picture per hour. The scientists then used computer software to stitch together the images from all the cameras. The resulting meta-image was then analyzed with another computer program to find the percent of the sky covered by clouds. The results can be found in Table 3.

In which experiment was the greatest number of measurements taken?

Scientist 1: Scientist 1 claims that the best spot to find gold is near volcanic areas. This scientist claims that the high temperatures and high pressure helps to form the gold. Therefore the best area to find large quantities of gold is near volcanoes.

Scientist 2: Scientist 2 asserts that the best area to find gold is in rivers. In the rivers the gold can be free flowing and easier to see. In addition, the gold found in the rivers does not necessarily require equipment for digging. It is is found in the river due to the water carrying, rather than eroding it.

How can it be determined which scientist's site is the best to find gold?

A group of scientists wanted to investigate weather patterns in four cities across the United States. They conducted a series of experiments to look for similarities and differences among the four cities. The scientists measured wind speed and direction, amount of precipitation, and percentage of cloud cover for one week. Further explanation can be found below.

Experiment 1

Scientists measured wind speed using an anemometer at 15 different locations around each city. Measurements were taken at each location 3 times a day and then averaged to get a daily wind speed for each city. This was repeated every day for one week and the results were compiled into table 1.

Experiment 2

Scientists set up barometers at five locations in each city. At the end of each day, the precipitation levels in the five barometers were averaged to find the average daily precipitation and the results are compiled in Table 2.

Experiment 3

For the final experiment, scientists placed upward facing cameras atop the ten tallest buildings in each city. The cameras took one picture per hour. The scientists then used computer software to stitch together the images from all the cameras. The resulting meta-image was then analyzed with another computer program to find the percent of the sky covered by clouds. The results can be found in table 3.

Which of the following is supported by the data in Experiment 3?

One night there was a meteor shower and scientists in four different regions, A, B, C and D, observed and counted the number of meteors seen. The scientists noted the duration of the meteor shower and the visibility of the stars.

What is a way that the scientists could improve their method of observation?

Scientist 1: This scientist asserts that drilling for oil should be performed in the ocean. Scientist 1 claims that in the ocean, the oil is at a shorter depth below the Earth’s surface than on dry land. The shorter drilling depth is more ideal for access by drills.

Scientist 2: Scientist 2 believes that drilling for oil should be performed on dry land and not underwater. This is due to the fact that water is at a higher pressure than is observed on the surface of Earth. Scientist 2 asserts that drilling at the lower pressure will be less likely to damage the equipment resulting in an unsuccessful event.

Experiment: The scientists conduct various experiments. The data that the scientists collect indicates the depth at which it is necessary to drill on land and in the ocean in order to reach. The other data that the scientist collect is on the pressure that the equipment will need to experience while drilling for oil at each location.

What is not taken into account with the information that the scientists obtain in their experiments?

Scientists have long debated the origin of organic molecules on Earth. Organic molecules are those based on the atom carbon, which can form four distinct bonds in contrast to the fewer number allowed in most other non-metals. As a result of this property, carbon can give rise to the enormously complex molecular shapes necessary for life to arise.

Some scientists argue that organic matter was dissolved in water ice on comets, and brought to Earth early in its history. These comets crashed into the early Earth, and deposited carbon-based molecules in copious quantities to the Earth’s surface as their water melted.

In 2014, the first space probe landed on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Suppose that scientists find the following information from 5 distinct samples after landing on the comet. Each sample was taken at a single geographical location, but 5 meters deeper than the last. Sample 1 was taken at a depth of 1 meter below the surface.

These samples were compared to 5 similar samples from the surface of Mars. Scientists posited that this comparison would be meaningful because we know that life does not exist on Mars the same way that it does on Earth. Thus, they are comparing a known non-biological celestial body, Mars, with another celestial body, the comet, which may be seeding life on suitable plants.

Which of the following would most directly undermine the major finding of this study?

Scientists studying historical trends in climate change have a number of tools at their disposal. One method of analyzing paleoclimate data involves the use of fossilized pollen spores embedded in sediment. Pollen spores are specific to the plant that produced them. Because the spores are resilient and are widely-distributed by wind, they provide a snapshot of the vegetation that was widespread at a particular point in time. By identifying the age of a sample and the composition of the various spores, scientists can identify the prominent vegetation and use this information to gain insight into the climate at the time the spores were deposited.

Scientists took sediment samples from various depths of a lakebed. They found that five types of pollen spores make up the majority of spore deposits in each sample. In Table 1, plants are listed along with the respective temperature ranges and levels of precipitation for the areas in which they are commonly found. Table 2 shows the composition of the assortment of spores in each of the four samples taken by the scientists.

In Table 2, what is the most likely explanation for the varying concentrations of spores from Plant 1 across each sample?

Global warming is defined as the slow increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and is caused by pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO2). While the gradual increase in temperature cannot be refuted, scientists argue over the cause.

Scientist 1:

Global warming is caused by increases in atmospheric CO2, which is directly created by humans and their consumption of fossil fuels. The natural CO2 released from carbon sinks has a different isotopic ratio from the CO2 released from fossil fuels. Current measurements of the radioactive isotopes of CO2 show that it is from human activity, not from nature. The Earth’s carbon sinks cannot absorb these large amounts of unnatural CO2 emissions. About fifty percent of the CO2 produced by mankind remains in the atmosphere, unable to be absorbed.

Scientist 2:

The rise in atmospheric CO2 levels are a result of global warming, not the cause of it. When the temperature increases, the CO2 in carbon sinks is released. While humans do cause release of CO2, the carbon sinks absorb it. The activity of the carbon sinks increases to allow for higher levels of CO2 absorption. Proponents for human causation of global warming point to the warming and cooling of the stratosphere, however, these temperature fluctuations are caused by changes in the sun’s heat. These proponents also look at the acidity of the ocean as evidence of human causation, however, the rise in ocean acidity is within the normal range of fluctuations over the past ten thousand years.

What new evidence would support the argument made by Scientist 1?

Scientists have long debated the origin of organic molecules on Earth. Organic molecules are those based on the atom carbon, which can form four distinct bonds in contrast to the fewer number allowed in most other non-metals. As a result of this property, carbon can give rise to the enormously complex molecular shapes necessary for life to arise.

Some scientists argue that organic matter was dissolved in water ice on comets, and brought to Earth early in its history. These comets crashed into the early Earth, and deposited carbon-based molecules in copious quantities to the Earth’s surface as their water melted.

In 2014, the first space probe landed on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Suppose that scientists find the following information from 5 distinct samples after landing on the comet. Each sample was taken at a single geographical location, but 5 meters deeper than the last. Sample 1 was taken at a depth of 1 meter below the surface.

These samples were compared to 5 similar samples from the surface of Mars. Scientists posited that this comparison would be meaningful because we know that life does not exist on Mars the same way that it does on Earth. Thus, they are comparing a known non-biological celestial body, Mars, with another celestial body, the comet, which may be seeding life on suitable plants.

Before sending the probe into space, scientists suggested that organics may be found on celestial bodies like comets. This suggestion, made in the absence of direct evidence, is most nearly:

Scientists have long debated the origin of organic molecules on Earth. Organic molecules are those based on the atom carbon, which can form four distinct bonds in contrast to the fewer number allowed in most other non-metals. As a result of this property, carbon can give rise to the enormously complex molecular shapes necessary for life to arise.

Some scientists argue that organic matter was dissolved in water ice on comets, and brought to Earth early in its history. These comets crashed into the early Earth, and deposited carbon-based molecules in copious quantities to the Earth’s surface as their water melted.

In 2014, the first space probe landed on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Suppose that scientists find the following information from 5 distinct samples after landing on the comet. Each sample was taken at a single geographical location, but 5 meters deeper than the last. Sample 1 was taken at a depth of 1 meter below the surface.

These samples were compared to 5 similar samples from the surface of Mars. Scientists posited that this comparison would be meaningful because we know that life does not exist on Mars the same way that it does on Earth. Thus, they are comparing a known non-biological celestial body, Mars, with another celestial body, the comet, which may be seeding life on suitable plants.

After collecting the data, scientists involved in the study expressed their desire to repeat sampling on another comet. Based only on the data in the passage, which of the following would suggest that organics would not be present?

I. No water ice present in the comet

II. The comet has no composition similarities to Earth

III. The comet has no composition similarities to Mars