Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardMust Be True / Most Strongly Supported

Every deep-sea expedition in the Clarion Trench that detects hydrothermal chimney deposits performs isotope mass spectrometry on its sediment cores. Any expedition that performs isotope mass spectrometry on its sediment cores publishes its stratigraphy dataset in the Open Ocean Registry, unless it is funded by a private mineral consortium. Furthermore, no expedition that publishes its stratigraphy dataset in the Open Ocean Registry fails to submit its benthic fauna logs to the International Seabed Authority. Last year, the research vessel Astraea conducted an expedition in the Clarion Trench, detected hydrothermal chimney deposits, and did not submit its benthic fauna logs to the International Seabed Authority.

Based on the statements above, which of the following statements must be true? (Select all that apply.)

  1. The research vessel Astraea performed isotope mass spectrometry on its sediment cores.Answer
  2. B
    Any deep-sea expedition that was funded by a private mineral consortium last year conducted operations in the Clarion Trench.
  3. The research vessel Astraea was funded by a private mineral consortium.Answer
  4. D
    Every deep-sea expedition that performs isotope mass spectrometry fails to submit its benthic fauna logs to the International Seabed Authority.
  5. E
    Submitting benthic fauna logs to the International Seabed Authority is sufficient to guarantee that an expedition did not detect hydrothermal chimney deposits.

Answer

The statements establishing that Astraea performed isotope mass spectrometry on its sediment cores and that Astraea was funded by a private mineral consortium must both be true.
The deduction that Astraea performed isotope mass spectrometry follows directly from the first premise. The deduction that Astraea was funded by a private mineral consortium is derived by combining the contrapositive of the logging rule with the conditional exception in the second premise.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Apply the first premise to the factual case of Astraea.
Since Astraea operated in the Clarion Trench and detected hydrothermal chimney deposits, it is logically guaranteed that Astraea performed isotope mass spectrometry on its sediment cores.
The rule states that detecting chimney deposits in the Clarion Trench is sufficient to guarantee isotope mass spectrometry.
2
Take the contrapositive of the third premise regarding benthic fauna logs.
Since Astraea did not submit benthic fauna logs to the International Seabed Authority, Astraea did not publish its stratigraphy dataset in the Open Ocean Registry.
The third premise states that publishing in the registry guarantees log submission; failing to submit logs proves non-publication.
3
Synthesize the results with the second conditional premise ('unless' condition).
Because Astraea performed isotope mass spectrometry but did not publish in the registry, Astraea must be funded by a private mineral consortium.
Expeditions performing spectrometry must publish unless funded by a private mineral consortium; hence, non-publishing spectrometry expeditions must be privately funded.

Key Concept

Multi-step conditional chaining with contrapositive deduction and exception ('unless') resolution
Rate this question

Topics

Must Be True / Most Strongly Supported

More questions from this topic