The following sentences are from a draft of an essay about dendrochronology. To ensure that the paragraph logically builds its claim that tree-ring dating is a highly precise historical tool, in what order should the sentences be placed?
- 1Dendrochronology, the scientific method of dating tree rings, provides historians with an incredibly precise timeline of environmental and human history.
- 2This high level of precision is achieved because trees grow a new ring each year, with the ring's width reflecting the weather conditions of that growing season.
- 3By comparing these distinctive patterns from old living trees with wood samples from historic buildings or archaeological sites, researchers construct a continuous regional timeline.
- 4For example, researchers recently used a multi-century oak chronology to determine that a wooden shipwreck off the coast of England was constructed in exactly 1248 CE.
Answer
The sentences should be ordered starting with the introduction to dendrochronology, followed by the explanation of how precision is achieved through ring growth, then the methodology of comparing patterns to build timelines, and finally the concrete example of the dated shipwreck.
The paragraph flows logically from a general definition and claim about precision, to the biological mechanism enabling that precision, to the archaeological application of the mechanism, and finally to a specific historical example demonstrating that precision in practice.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Supporting Claims with Evidence and Details