PT128.S1.P4.Q25

PrepTest 128 - Section 1 - Passage 4 - Question 25

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P1

One of the foundations of scientific research is that an experimental result is credible only if it can be replicated—only if performing the experiment a second time leads to the same result. ███

Foundation of science · Experimental results are credible only if they are replicable
Replicable = doing experiment again leads to same result.
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Problem · Somm. and Ott (S and O) came up with a new physical system
In this system, the tiniest change in starting conditions can change results radically. (What does this mean? Not sure.) This system can be represented by a computer model involving a particle's motion within a force field. (Not sure what this means either.)
P2

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Analogy · S and O's new system is similar to riddled basins of attraction
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Definition of basin of attraction · Bodies of water have basins of attaction
The basin for a particular body of water = area of land where, whenever water is spilled on it, it goes toward that body of water.
P3

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Definition of riddled basins · Can't predict where water will flow for some points in between basins
The boundaries between these basins are riddled with physical irregulataries, which is why you can't tell where the water will flow. Need to spill the water at a point and observe. If you spill at any other point, even one right next to it, the water might flow toward a different body of water.
P4

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S and O's system · The riddled boundary expands to every single point
So, rather than just the boundary line between two bodies of water being riddled, every point in the whole system is riddled. You can't tell even the general destination of a particle from any starting point.
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Distinction between S and O's system and chaos · In chaos, you can predict general destination, but not path or exact destination
In S and O's system, you can't predict any of the three things.
P5

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Implication of S and O's system · Other similar systems might exist, and if so, this would question the replication requirement
It's possible that some experiments can't be replicated because even the slightest, unnoticeable change in starting conditions leads to different results.
Passage Style
Problem-analysis
Single position
Show answer
25.

Which one of the following ████ ██████████ █████████ ███ ████████ ████████ ██████ ███ ████ ██ ████████ ███ ████

a

skeptical of the ███████████ ████ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ███ █████████ ████ ███ █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ ████ ████████ ███ ██ ███ ███████████ ██ ███████

The author isn’t skeptical that numerous unstable systems exist. She says “If other such systems do exist....” That doesn’t indicate skepticism. It merely indicates a statement about what would happen if numerous unstable systems exist.

9%
b

convinced of the █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ ███ ██████ ██ ███ █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ ████████ ███ ██ ███ ███████████ ██ ███████

“Convinced” is too strong. The author isn’t convinced that numerous unstable systems exist. She says “If other such systems do exist....” That doesn’t indicate confidence that they do exist. It merely indicates a statement about what would happen if numerous unstable systems exist.

8%
c

convinced of the █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ ███ █████████ ████ ███ █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ ████████ ███ ██ ███ ███████████ ██ ███████

“Convinced” is too strong. The author isn’t convinced that numerous unstable systems exist. She says “If other such systems do exist....” That doesn’t indicate confidence that they do exist. It merely indicates a statement about what would happen if numerous unstable systems exist.

16%
d

persuaded of the ███████████ ████ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ███ ██████ ██ ███ █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ ████ ████████ ███ ██ ███ ███████████ ██ ███████

The author isn’t “unsure” about whether the existence of numerous unstable systems would call into question one of the foundations of science. She indicates that they will call a foundation into question if they exist. (What the author is not confident about is the existence of numerous unstable systems.)

17%
e

persuaded of the ███████████ ████ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ███ █████████ ████ ███ █████████ ██ ████████ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ ████ ████████ ███ ██ ███ ███████████ ██ ███████

This is the best answer. “Persuaded of the possibility” that numerous unstable systems exist makes sense because she says “If other such systems do exist....” That doesn’t indicate confidence or skepticism. She is simply open to the idea that those systems exist. But if they do, she’s confident one of the foundations of science will be called into question.

51%

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