#10 - Industrial scientists have hypothesized that much of the nitrous oxide that contributes to air

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Weaken. The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[soupynoodles14]

Can you please elaborate on why B is incorrect as opposed to D? As far as I can tell, both of these answer choices tell us that something OTHER than "burning of organic matter in forest fires" results in "much of the nitrous oxide that contributes to air pollution".

[Luke Haqq]

Hi soupynoodles14!

The author of this stimulus argues that results from a given study support a particular hypothesis. The hypothesis is that "much of the nitrous oxide that contributes to air pollution originates from the burning of organic matter in forest fires."

Answer choice (B) is too general and doesn't address material related to the particular study being cited. Answer choice (B) only talks about "many pollutants," for example, but not nitrous oxide in particular. Even if it mentioned nitrous oxide, it's not clear how (B) would address whether or not the study supports the mentioned hypothesis.

By contrast, answer (D) clearly calls into question the methodology of the study. According to (D), the nitrous oxide amounts measured in the closed container won't be an accurate gauge of the actual amount of nitrous oxide that forest fires contribute to air pollution. Rather, the nitrous oxide content is at least partly produced as a consequence of storage in the closed container.