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Difficulty: HardSupporting Claims with Evidence and Details

The following sentences are from a draft of an essay about organic chemist Percy Julian. To ensure that the paragraph logically builds its claim that Julian successfully refuted his rival's work, in what order should the sentences be arranged?

  1. 1In 19351935, organic chemist Percy Julian embarked on a high-stakes race to synthesize physostigmine, a drug critical for treating glaucoma.
  2. 2Julian staked his career on the claim that the molecular structure published by his prominent rival, Sir Robert Robinson, was fundamentally flawed.
  3. 3To prove this, Julian synthesized the actual compound in his lab and compared its physical properties directly to Robinson's published results.
  4. 4The definitive proof came when Julian's synthetic crystals melted at exactly 135∘C135^\circ\text{C}—matching natural physostigmine—while Robinson's compound melted at a much lower temperature.
  5. 5This precise thermodynamic measurement demonstrated that Robinson had synthesized an entirely different compound, establishing Julian's work as the definitive breakthrough.

Answer

The correct logical sequence starts with the introduction of Percy Julian's 19351935 race to synthesize physostigmine, followed by the claim that his rival's structure was flawed. The paragraph then details the comparative testing process, presents the specific melting point evidence of 135∘C135^\circ\text{C}, and concludes with the significance of this thermodynamic measurement.
The correct order follows a clear progression from claim to method, evidence, and conclusion. The paragraph begins by introducing Percy Julian's 19351935 race to synthesize physostigmine. It then introduces his career-defining claim: that Robert Robinson's published molecular structure was flawed. The transition 'To prove this' connects this claim to Julian's method of comparing physical properties. The next sentence provides the specific empirical detail—the melting point of 135∘C135^\circ\text{C}—that serves as the definitive proof. Finally, the concluding sentence begins with 'This precise thermodynamic measurement,' which refers back to the melting point data and explains the significance of the results.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory sentence that establishes the overall context.
The sentence introducing Percy Julian's 19351935 effort to synthesize physostigmine.
It establishes the subject, compound, and timeline necessary for the paragraph's setting.
2
Locate the primary claim that requires supporting evidence.
The sentence asserting that Julian staked his career on Robinson's structure being flawed.
This sets up the conflict and the specific claim that the rest of the paragraph must support.
3
Find the transitional sentence describing the test of this claim.
The sentence beginning 'To prove this' describing the synthesis and comparison of physical properties.
The phrase 'To prove this' directly links back to the claim of a flawed molecular structure, and it outlines the method used to obtain evidence.
4
Identify the specific empirical details representing the evidence.
The sentence stating that Julian's synthetic crystals melted at exactly 135∘C135^\circ\text{C} while Robinson's did not.
This provides the concrete details from the comparison mentioned in the previous step.
5
Identify the concluding sentence explaining the outcome of the evidence.
The sentence starting with 'This precise thermodynamic measurement' establishing Julian's breakthrough.
The phrase 'This precise thermodynamic measurement' refers directly back to the melting point data and completes the logical progression.

Key Concept

Supporting Claims with Evidence and Details
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Supporting Claims with Evidence and Details

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