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Zorluk: OrtaWeakening Arguments

To reduce fuel expenditure across its ocean cargo fleet, a maritime shipping company plans to apply a new hydrodynamic coating to the underwater hulls of all its vessels. In controlled tank tests, vessels treated with the coating experienced a 12 percent reduction in drag compared to untreated vessels. The company's directors conclude that applying this coating will significantly lower the fleet's total annual fuel expenditure.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the directors' conclusion?

  1. In actual ocean environments, marine organisms rapidly adhere to the specialized coating, creating surface roughness that negates the drag reduction unless the hulls undergo frequent and costly cleanings.Cevap
  2. B
    Computer simulations indicate that applying the same hydrodynamic coating to vessel rudders yields an additional 3 percent reduction in water resistance.
  3. C
    Several competing maritime shipping companies have recently placed orders for next-generation cargo vessels equipped with wind-assisted propulsion sails.
  4. D
    The hydrodynamic hull coating was developed by an independent naval engineering institute rather than by the shipping company's internal research team.
  5. E
    Fuel expenditure currently constitutes the largest single component of the shipping company's total annual operating budget.

Cevap

The argument is most weakened by the finding that in actual ocean environments, marine organisms rapidly adhere to the specialized coating, creating surface roughness that negates the drag reduction unless the hulls undergo frequent and costly cleanings.
The conclusion relies on the assumption that the 12 percent drag reduction measured in controlled tank tests will produce significant real-world net fuel savings. The correct option directly shatters this assumption by revealing that real ocean conditions cause biological growth on the coating that negates drag reduction and adds substantial maintenance costs, thereby preventing the expected net savings.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the argument structure
Premise: Controlled tank tests showed a 12% reduction in drag for coated hulls. Conclusion: Applying the coating across the fleet will significantly lower total annual fuel expenditure.
Identifying the explicit premises and conclusion reveals the underlying assumption connecting test results to real-world financial outcomes.
2
Identify the key unstated assumption
The argument assumes that performance in controlled tank tests will translate directly to real-world ocean conditions without introducing prohibitive secondary costs.
A weakening item must attack this gap between laboratory performance and net operational cost savings.
3
Evaluate the options against the key assumption
The statement regarding marine organisms accumulating on the hull demonstrates that operational ocean conditions actively destroy the drag reduction effect and introduce heavy maintenance costs.
This directly undermines the conclusion that total annual fuel expenditure will significantly decrease.

Anahtar Kavram

Weakening Arguments - Unstated Assumptions in Causal/Experimental Transitions
Tahmini Süre:1m 30s
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Weakening Arguments

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