PT74.S1.Q23 - geologist: the dominant view that petroleum

Comments

• hlsat180 Free Trial Member

  September 2016 edited September 2016 362 karma

  Geologist argues the scientists' view (that petroleum was formed from deep carbon deposits dating from the formation of the earth rather than fossilized remains of plants and animals) is refuted by the presence in petroleum of biomarkers (molecules indicating the past or present existence of a living organism).
  
  For his conclusion to hold true, the geologist assumes that deep carbon deposits have never contained life. Answer D, if true, introduces new information that counters this assumption and therefore casts doubt on the geologist's conclusion.
  
  
• Madssssss L. Alum Member

  May 2019 edited May 2019 124 karma

  Am I such an idiot for reading so quickly I forgot bacteria were alive...
• BlindReviewer Alum Member

  May 2019 855 karma

  @hlsat180 points out the assumption being made, which is that deep carbon deposits can't have biomarkers, so there's no way this is what made petroleum.

  I think the more interesting thing is why E is wrong, and it's so sneaky -- characteristic of these newer LR sections that play a lot on language. E just talks about "carbon deposits" whereas the stimulus is talking about "DEEP carbon deposits." So while E brings up an example that seems to attack the assumption, we don't know at all if that's referring to deep carbon deposits at all. Meanwhile, D captures this important specificity laid out in the stimulus.