Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumRhetorical Synthesis: Supporting Claims

While preparing a presentation on planetary geology, a student takes the following notes:
* Gale Crater on Mars contains layers of sedimentary rock that record the history of ancient liquid water.
* Lower, older rock layers in the crater contain clay minerals, which form in long-lasting, neutral-pH water.
* Higher, younger rock layers in the crater contain sulfate minerals, which form in highly acidic, evaporating water.
* In 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover began analyzing the mineral composition of these rock layers.

The student wants to make a comparative claim about how the liquid water environments in Gale Crater changed over time. Which choice most effectively uses information from the given notes to accomplish this goal?

  1. While the lower, older rock layers in Gale Crater contain clay minerals that formed in neutral-pH water, the higher, younger layers contain sulfate minerals that formed in highly acidic, evaporating water.Answer
  2. B
    In 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover began analyzing the mineral composition of sedimentary rock layers in Gale Crater to study the history of ancient liquid water.
  3. C
    Although clay minerals form in neutral-pH water and sulfate minerals form in acidic water, Curiosity only detected these minerals at the highest elevations of Gale Crater.
  4. D
    Because the lower, older rock layers contain clay minerals, Gale Crater likely hosted ancient microscopic Martian life before shifting environmental conditions forced these organisms to adapt to highly acidic water.

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that while the lower, older rock layers in Gale Crater contain clay minerals that formed in neutral-pH water, the higher, younger layers contain sulfate minerals that formed in highly acidic, evaporating water.
The correct answer effectively compares the two distinct water environments in Gale Crater and indicates how they changed over time by contrasting the lower, older layers (formed in neutral-pH water) with the higher, younger layers (formed in highly acidic, evaporating water) using only explicit information from the notes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the goal of the student.
The student wants to make a comparative claim about how the liquid water environments in Gale Crater changed over time.
This establishes the rhetorical criteria that the correct answer must meet: it must compare the earlier (lower, older) and later (higher, younger) rock layers and their corresponding liquid water environments.
2
Evaluate the choices based on the notes.
The option comparing the lower, older layers (containing clay minerals from neutral-pH water) to the higher, younger layers (containing sulfate minerals from acidic, evaporating water) uses only explicit facts to support the comparative claim.
This shows the change from a neutral-pH water environment to an acidic, evaporating one over time.

Key Concept

Rhetorical Synthesis: Supporting Claims
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Rhetorical Synthesis: Supporting Claims

More questions from this topic