Question

Difficulty: MediumIdentifying Explicit Details

The following passage is adapted from an essay on late nineteenth-century astronomy and observational documentation:

In 1897, astronomer Dorothea Klumpke was appointed by the Paris Observatory to direct the Bureau of Measurements, a specialized division tasked with analyzing glass photographic plates for the ambitious Carte du Ciel international star-mapping project. Working alongside a team of female assistants, Klumpke systematically measured the positions and relative brightness of thousands of faint celestial bodies. Throughout her work, Klumpke observed that the delicate silver-halide photographic emulsion adhering to the glass plates was uniquely susceptible to atmospheric moisture. Specifically, when ambient laboratory humidity surpassed 65 percent, the emulsion softened and peeled, obscuring critical stellar data. To preserve these vital astronomical records, the observatory commissioned custom storage facilities, housing the plates inside zinc-lined cedar cabinets designed to maintain a stable, dry microclimate.

Statement: Based on the passage, the Paris Observatory housed the Carte du Ciel photographic plates in zinc-lined cedar cabinets to protect their photographic emulsion from deteriorating due to high atmospheric moisture levels.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is True. The passage explicitly confirms that the Paris Observatory stored the glass photographic plates in zinc-lined cedar cabinets to shield the silver-halide emulsion from high atmospheric humidity.
The statement is correct because the passage explicitly states that humidity levels above 65 percent caused the photographic emulsion on the glass plates to soften and peel, which led the observatory to construct zinc-lined cedar cabinets to preserve the plates in a dry microclimate.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core assertion in the statement
The statement claims that the Paris Observatory stored photographic plates in zinc-lined cedar cabinets to prevent high humidity from degrading the photographic emulsion.
To determine whether a factual statement is true or false, locate the text segment describing storage methods and environmental risks.
2
Locate explicit evidence within the reading passage
The text states that 'when ambient laboratory humidity surpassed 65 percent, the emulsion softened and peeled' and that to preserve them, the observatory housed the plates inside 'zinc-lined cedar cabinets designed to maintain a stable, dry microclimate.'
Direct textual reference provides explicit verification of both the cause of degradation and the specific protective measure taken.
3
Compare the assertion directly to the stated facts
The statement accurately reflects the explicitly detailed cause-and-effect relationship outlined by the author.
Because the statement accurately paraphrases explicitly stated facts without unsupported inference, it is confirmed as True.

Key Concept

Identifying Explicit Details
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