Problem: I read this background article the other day: Alpine climate is the average weather (climate) for the alpine tundra. The climate becomes colder at high elevations—this characteristic is described by the lapse rate of air: air tends to get colder as it rises, since it expands. The dry adiabatic lapse rate is 10 °C per km (5.5 °F per 1000 ft) of elevation or altitude. Therefore, moving up 100 metres (330 ft) on a mountain is roughly equivalent to moving 80 kilometers (45 miles or 0.75° of latitude) towards the pole. This relationship is only approximate, however, since local factors such as proximity to oceans can drastically modify the climate.  I am facing a new situation today: Two meteorologists study Earth's climate. Jerry studies alpine climate, while James studies tropical climates. They both made great progress.  Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which person learned less about air expansion as it rises?

A: James


Problem: I read this background article the other day: Geologists study earthquake waves to “see” Earth's interior. Waves of energy radiate out from an earthquake’s focus. These waves are called seismic waves ( Figure below ). Seismic waves go different speeds through different materials. They change speed when they go from one type of material to another. This causes them to bend. Some seismic waves do not travel through liquids or gases. They just stop. Scientists use information from seismic waves to understand what makes up the Earth’s interior.  I am facing a new situation today: A team of geologists studied two islands. Large island had a lot of seismic activity, and Small island that presented almost no seismic activity.  Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which island displayed fewer seismic waves?

A: Small


Problem: I read this background article the other day: The Hawaiian Islands ( Figure above ) are in the central Pacific Ocean. The islands are volcanoes that increase in age from southeast to northwest. The youngest island is the Big Island of Hawaii at the southeast end of the chain. The volcanoes get older through Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau Islands through the northwest. The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii has been erupting almost continuously since 1983. There are also eruptions at an underwater volcano called Loih  I am facing a new situation today: Tom and Brad were good friends but lived far away from each other. Tom lived in Hawaii so he visited all the islands and the volcanoes frequently. Brad lived on the East Coast, and he never visited The Hawaiian Islands.  Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which friend lived closer to the older Hawaiian volcanoes?

A: Tom


Problem: I read this background article the other day: Of the 94 naturally occurring elements, those with atomic numbers 1 through 82 each have at least one stable isotope (except for technetium, element 43 and promethium, element 61, which have no stable isotopes). Isotopes considered stable are those for which no radioactive decay has yet been observed. Elements with atomic numbers 83 through 94 are unstable to the point that radioactive decay of all isotopes can be detected. Some of these elements, notably bismuth (atomic number 83), thorium (atomic number 90), and uranium (atomic number 92), have one or more isotopes with half-lives long enough to survive as remnants of the explosive stellar nucleosynthesis that produced the heavy metals before the formation of our Solar System. At over 1.9×1019 years, over a billion times longer than the current estimated age of the universe, bismuth-209 (atomic number 83) has the longest known alpha decay half-life of any naturally occurring element, and is almost always considered on par with the 80 stable elements. The very heaviest elements (those beyond plutonium, element 94) undergo radioactive decay with half-lives so short that they are not found in nature and must be synthesized.  I am facing a new situation today: David was studying for his chemistry exam. To understand the elements of the periodic table better he categorized them into three groups, cat A, cat B, and cat C. In cat A he placed all the elements with atomic numbers lower than 83. In cat B he put the elements with atomic numbers from 83 to 94. Finally, in cat C he placed the elements with atomic numbers over 94. He found it easier to see their differences after he categorized them.  Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Would cat B more likely or less likely show radioactive decay than cat A?

A:
more likely