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Difficulty: MediumRecognizing Implied Cause and Effect

A remote solar-powered weather station on an open plateau transmitted erratic barometric and temperature readings each afternoon, while overnight transmissions remained accurate. Field technicians inspected the unit and found no electrical faults or battery degradation. They observed that a recently installed steel sunshield sat two millimeters from the internal temperature probe, with dark matte paint covering its surface. After technicians elevated the shield by four inches and applied a reflective white coating, afternoon telemetry stabilized completely.

Based on the passage, what most likely caused the afternoon transmission errors?

  1. A
    The erratic barometric readings caused the dark surface coating on the sunshield to deteriorate.
  2. Solar heat absorbed by the dark, closely mounted shield distorted the sensor measurements during daylight hours.Answer
  3. C
    Internal battery degradation repeatedly caused power shortages whenever daytime temperatures peaked.
  4. D
    Frequent desert dust storms accumulated on the probe and intermittently blocked outgoing radio signals.

Answer

Solar heat absorbed by the dark, closely mounted shield distorted the sensor measurements during daylight hours.
The passage details that errors occurred only in the afternoon, the shield was dark and placed extremely close to the probe, and the issue was resolved by moving the shield farther away and making it reflective. These facts together imply that solar heating of the dark shield distorted the temperature readings during the sunniest part of the day.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conditions under which the problem occurred and when it resolved
Errors occurred only in the afternoon and disappeared overnight; fixing the shield's height and color resolved the issue.
Tracking changes in the system reveals the variable responsible for the malfunction.
2
Synthesize the physical clues provided in the passage
A dark shield placed two millimeters from a temperature probe absorbs sunlight during the afternoon, radiating localized heat directly into the probe.
Connecting unstated scientific facts (dark colors absorb heat, proximity transfers heat) establishes the implied causal mechanism.
3
Deduce the unstated cause
Thermal interference from the overheated sunshield caused inaccurate sensor readings during peak sun hours.
This is the only logical explanation supported by all factual premises in the text.

Key Concept

Recognizing Implied Cause and Effect
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Recognizing Implied Cause and Effect

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