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Question

Difficulty: MediumExplicit Detail Retrieval

Passage:
In 1794, German physicist Ernst Chladni published a controversial treatise asserting that meteorites—masses of iron and stone that fall to Earth—originated in outer space rather than from terrestrial volcanic eruptions or atmospheric aggregations of dust, as contemporary natural philosophers maintained. Chladni reasoned that the extreme velocity and scorched exterior crusts of recovered iron masses indicated an extra-terrestrial origin outside Earth's atmosphere. Furthermore, he calculated that if these objects were produced by atmospheric processes, they would require chemical components not present in the upper atmosphere. Despite Chladni’s rigorous compilation of historical eyewitness reports and chemical samples, the scientific establishment initially rejected his hypothesis, deeming eyewitness accounts of falling rocks to be unscientific folklore. It was only after a massive meteorite shower at L'Aigle, France, in 1803—thoroughly documented by the French Academy of Sciences under Jean-Baptiste Biot—that Chladni's extraterrestrial theory gained widespread scientific acceptance.

According to the passage, Chladni based his assertion that recovered iron masses originated outside Earth's atmosphere on which of the following explicit details?

  1. The extreme velocity and scorched outer crusts observed on the iron massesAnswer
  2. B
    The detailed scientific documentation compiled during the 1803 L'Aigle meteorite shower
  3. C
    The presence of chemical elements in meteorites that perfectly matched upper atmospheric dust
  4. D
    The complete absence of prior eyewitness accounts attributing fallen stones to terrestrial volcanic eruptions
  5. E
    Laboratory experiments simulating the high-pressure aggregation of atmospheric dust particles

Answer

Chladni based his assertion on the extreme velocity and scorched outer crusts observed on the iron masses.
The passage explicitly states in the second sentence that Chladni deduced an extraterrestrial origin based on the extreme velocity and scorched exterior crusts of recovered iron masses.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key focus of the question stem
The question asks for the specific explicit detail Chladni used to argue that iron masses originated outside Earth's atmosphere.
Explicit detail retrieval requires matching the specific premise attributed to Chladni in the passage.
2
Locate the corresponding sentence in the passage
The second sentence states: 'Chladni reasoned that the extreme velocity and scorched exterior crusts of recovered iron masses indicated an extra-terrestrial origin outside Earth's atmosphere.'
This direct sentence directly provides Chladni's specific evidence.
3
Match the passage detail with the correct paraphrased option
The option citing 'The extreme velocity and scorched outer crusts observed on the iron masses' directly paraphrases the text.
It accurately captures the facts without adding outside assumptions or distorting sentence modifiers.

Key Concept

Explicit Detail Retrieval
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Explicit Detail Retrieval

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