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Difficulty: MediumDrawing Logical Conclusions

Commercial grain elevators increasingly utilize nitrogen gas purging to protect stored wheat from insect infestations without chemical pesticides. Nitrogen is continuously injected at the silo base until atmospheric oxygen concentrations drop below one percent, a threshold lethal to all insect life stages within seventy-two hours. However, grain must be dried to a moisture content below twelve percent prior to purging. If grain moisture exceeds this limit, anaerobic fermentation occurs in the oxygen-depleted environment, causing the grain to spoil and generate explosive methane gas.

Based on the passage, which of the following can be logically concluded about the nitrogen purging process?

  1. A
    Chemical pesticides are legally banned in all commercial grain storage facilities.
  2. B
    Nitrogen injection actively extracts excess moisture from stored grain as oxygen is displaced.
  3. Displacing oxygen to eliminate pests is only a viable preservation strategy if grain moisture is strictly controlled beforehand.Answer
  4. D
    Anaerobic fermentation must be initiated to lower oxygen concentrations below one percent within seventy-two hours.

Answer

Displacing oxygen to eliminate pests is only a viable preservation strategy if grain moisture is strictly controlled beforehand.
The passage establishes that while nitrogen purging effectively kills insects by reducing oxygen below one percent, doing so when moisture exceeds twelve percent triggers anaerobic fermentation and spoilage. Therefore, it is logically necessary to regulate moisture before oxygen displacement for the treatment to be safe and effective.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary process and its intended outcome from the passage.
Nitrogen purging eliminates oxygen to kill insects without pesticides.
Establishes the core objective of the procedure.
2
Analyze the stated constraint and the consequence of violating it.
Moisture must be below twelve percent; exceeding this causes anaerobic fermentation, grain spoilage, and explosive methane gas.
Determines the necessary conditions required for the process to succeed safely.
3
Synthesize the premise and constraint into a deducible conclusion.
Oxygen displacement cannot succeed as a safe preservation technique unless moisture levels are properly managed prior to treatment.
Connects the prerequisite condition directly to the viability of the entire preservation method.

Key Concept

Deducing Necessary Constraints from Technical Procedures
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Drawing Logical Conclusions

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