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Question

Difficulty: HardNegative Detail Identification

Submarine depth and orientation are regulated through two distinct ballast systems. Main ballast tanks (MBTs) are located outside the pressure hull and are either completely flooded with seawater to submerge the vessel or filled with high-pressure air to surface. In contrast, variable ballast tanks (VBTs), consisting of forward and aft trim tanks, are housed inside the pressure hull. Crew members pump water between these internal trim tanks to adjust the vessel's pitch and compensate for shifts in onboard weight distribution. While main ballast operations cause rapid changes in overall buoyancy, variable ballast adjustments are executed gradually using electric trim pumps to maintain neutral buoyancy and horizontal alignment during underwater cruising.

According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true regarding the submarine's ballast systems?

  1. A
    Main ballast tanks utilize high-pressure air to surface the vessel.
  2. B
    Water is transferred between internal tanks to manage pitch and weight distribution shifts.
  3. Variable ballast tanks are positioned outside the pressure hull to cause rapid buoyancy shifts.Answer
  4. D
    Electric trim pumps allow for gradual adjustments to maintain horizontal alignment.

Answer

Variable ballast tanks are positioned outside the pressure hull to cause rapid buoyancy shifts.
The passage explicitly states that main ballast tanks are located outside the pressure hull and cause rapid buoyancy changes, whereas variable ballast tanks are housed inside the pressure hull and are adjusted gradually. Therefore, claiming that variable ballast tanks are outside the hull to cause rapid shifts directly contradicts the facts provided in the text.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the negative qualifier in the question stem.
The prompt asks to identify the statement that is NOT true according to the passage.
Recognizing the negative condition ensures that confirmed facts are eliminated and the contradicted or unmentioned detail is selected.
2
Cross-reference each option against the explicit factual claims in the stimulus.
Three options describe verified characteristics of main ballast tanks (high-pressure air for surfacing) and variable ballast tanks (internal water transfer for pitch; electric pumps for gradual alignment).
Evaluating all options isolates the single claim that is factually unsupported or contradicted.
3
Determine which statement directly contradicts the text.
The claim that variable ballast tanks are outside the pressure hull and cause rapid buoyancy shifts contradicts the passage, which specifies that variable ballast tanks are housed inside the hull and operate gradually.
This establishes the false claim required to answer the negative stem.

Key Concept

Negative Detail Identification in Technical Passages
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Topics

Negative Detail Identification

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