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We all know that when there is a clear sky, the western sky appears red as the sun sets. From the information presented in the passage, this phenomenon would seem to be explained by which of the following? I. Light meets more obstacles when passing parallel to the earth's surface than when traveling perpendicular. Consequently, even red light is diffused. II. The blue light may not make it through the denser pathway of the evening sky, leaving only the long light waves of red. III. The short red light waves have more energy and are the only waves that can make it through the thick atmosphere of the evening sky. (A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II only (D) II and III only (E) I, II, and III

Short Answer

Expert verified
(C) I and II only

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Phenomenon

When the sun sets, the western sky appears red due to the scattering of light. This occurs because the sunlight has to pass through more of the Earth's atmosphere when it is near the horizon.
02

Analyze Statement I

Statement I discusses light meeting obstacles while traveling parallel to the Earth's surface. It suggests that even red light is diffused. This aligns with the basic concept of light scattering, as upon traveling parallel (through a larger section of the atmosphere), light undergoes more scattering.
03

Analyze Statement II

Statement II proposes that blue light doesn't penetrate the denser evening sky, leaving only red light. Blue light, which has shorter wavelengths, is indeed scattered out more easily than red light, which explains why we see red hues during sunset.
04

Analyze Statement III

Statement III claims that red light waves are shorter and have more energy, allowing them to penetrate the evening sky. However, this is incorrect because red light waves are actually longer and have less energy compared to blue or ultraviolet light waves.
05

Evaluate the Options

With our understanding from the steps above: - Statement I is correct, as it matches the concept of increased scattering with more obstacles. - Statement II is correct because it explains the phenomenon of seeing red light. - Statement III is incorrect due to factual inaccuracy about red light having more energy. This implies that the correct answer must include statements I and II.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Light Scattering
Light scattering is a fascinating phenomenon that explains why the sky changes colors at different times of the day. When sunlight travels through the Earth's atmosphere, it interacts with air molecules and particles. This interaction causes the light to scatter. Here's how it works:
  • Blue light has shorter wavelengths and is scattered more easily in various directions.
  • Red light has longer wavelengths and travels more directly to our eyes during times when the sunlight's path is more slanted, like during sunrise or sunset.
As the sun sets, its light has to pass through more of the Earth's atmosphere compared to when it is overhead. The increased distance scatters blue and green light out of view, leaving primarily red and orange hues visible. This process not only gives us beautiful sunsets but is also essential for understanding more complex atmospheric phenomena.
Atmospheric Science
Atmospheric science provides insight into how weather, climate, and celestial phenomena affect our lives. A key aspect of this science is understanding the composition and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, which plays a critical role in light scattering. The atmosphere is made up of layers filled with gases and particles:
  • The Troposphere, the lowest layer, where weather occurs and where sunlight first interacts with the atmosphere.
  • In each layer, the density of air can affect how light waves travel and scatter.
Knowing how light behaves as it passes through these layers helps scientists predict weather patterns and study climate changes. It also aids in improving atmospheric models for better weather forecasting. By studying atmospheric science, we learn about important atmospheric phenomena, like why the sky appears blue during the day and red at sunset, which all ties back to how light interacts with the different components of the atmosphere.
Exam Preparation
Preparing for exams like the LSAT, especially for logical reasoning questions, involves several strategies. Understanding core principles like light scattering can give you an edge in tackling science-related passages. Effective exam preparation strategies include:
  • Practicing with past papers to familiarize yourself with common themes and question styles.
  • Regularly reviewing basic scientific concepts that often appear in context-based questions.
  • Developing a methodical approach to breaking down complex passages and identifying key information.
By concentrating on both the content and context of questions, especially in logical reasoning sections, you can improve your critical reasoning skills. This preparation will not only help with science-based questions but also enhance your general analytical abilities, a crucial factor for success on exams like the LSAT.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is essential for tackling exercises like the one provided in logical reasoning assessments. It involves analyzing information, evaluating evidence, and forming reasoned conclusions. To enhance critical thinking:
  • Regularly challenge assumptions by questioning stated facts or commonly held beliefs.
  • Practice making inferences based on logical sequences rather than assumptions.
  • Engage in discussions and debates on various topics, which can broaden your perspective and improve analytical skills.
In the context of the given exercise, critical thinking allows you to distinguish between correct and incorrect statements by analyzing the information provided. For instance, understanding that red light waves are actually longer, rather than shorter, is crucial when evaluating the options. Ultimately, strengthening your critical thinking will aid in better performance not just on exams, but in decision-making and problem-solving scenarios in everyday life as well.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Scientists have observed that shorter wavelength light has more energy than longer wavelength light. From this we can conclude that (A) red light will exert more energy when it hits the surface of the earth than will blue light. (B) lightning is caused by the collision of blue light with particles in the air. (C) red light will travel faster than blue light. (D) blue light has more energy than red light. (E) blue light has less energy than red light.

A scientist makes new observations and learns that water waves of shorter wavelengths spread in all directions not only because they scatter off piers but also because they interact with previously scattered short water waves. Drawing upon the analogy between water waves and light waves, we might hypothesize which of the following? (A) Blue light waves act like ripples that other blue light waves meet and scatter from. (B) Red light waves will be scattered by blue light waves like incoming long water waves are scattered by outgoing ripples. (C) Red light waves can scatter blue light waves, but blue light waves cannot scatter red. (D) The analogy between water and light waves cannot be extended to include the way in which short water waves become ripples and scatter one another. (E) The scattering effect of blue light waves is canceled by that of red.

With regard to the use of United States troops in a foreign conflict without a formal declaration of war by the United States, the author believes that the United States Constitution does which one of the following? (A) assumes that the President and Congress will agree on whether troops should be used (B) provides a clear-cut division of authority between the President and Congress in the decision to use troops (C) assigns a greater role to the Congress than to the President in deciding whether troops should be used (D) grants final authority to the President to decide whether to use troops (E) intends that both the President and Congress should be involved in the decision to use troops

If students were asked to write essays on the different concepts of tragedy as exemplified by Cordelia and Antigone, and they all responded by showing how each character exemplified a traditional definition of tragedy, we could, according to the passage, hypothesize which one of the following about these students? (A) The students were locked into the relativist stage. (B) The students had not advanced beyond the dualist stage. (C) The students had at least achieved the multiplicity stage. (D) The students had reached the commitment stage. (E) We have no indication of which cognitive stage the students were in.

According to the provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 as described in the passage, if the President perceives that an international conflict warrants the immediate involvement of United States armed forces, the President is compelled in every instance to (A) request that Congress consider a formal declaration of war (B) consult with the leaders of both houses of Congress before deploying armed forces (C) desist from deploying any troops unless expressly approved by Congress (D) report to Congress within 48 hours of the deployment of armed forces (E) withdraw any armed forces deployed in such a conflict within 60 days unless war is declared

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