To study centuries-old earthquakes and the geologic faults that caused them, seismologists usually dig trenches along visible fault lines, looking for sediments that show evidence of having shifted. βββ
Intro topic Β·Methods for studying causes of past earthquakes
Start by looking for buried sediments that shifted during a possible earthquake
Explain method Β·Use carbon 14 to back-date when material shifted (i.e., when possible earthquake occurred)
Carbon 14 is a radioactive form of carbon that decays (i.e., turns into a different form of carbon) at a known rate, so the amount of carbon 14 left in something can tell us how old that thing is
Explain new method Β·Use lichen growth to back-date rockfalls in mountain ranges
Lichens begin growing on rocks after an earthquake causes rockfalls; because they grow at a known rate, the size of a lichen patch on a rock can tell us when that rock first fell
Carbon 14 dating is less accurate because it can be hard to know how much carbon 14 the material started with (just knowing the rate of carbon 14 decay on its own can't tell us how old that material is)
Limitations of lichenometry Β·Limited time period, complications related to site selection
Passage Style
Single position
6.
It can be inferred that βββ ββββββββββ ββββ ββ ββββ βββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββ βββ ββββ βββ βββββββββ ββ βββ βββββββ ββββ ββ βββββ βββ ββ βββ βββββββββ ββββββββββββ
Question Type
Implied
Itβs not clear that we can predict the correct answer, but at least we know the correct answer will be supported by the last two sentences: βThey note, however, that using lichenometry requires careful site selection and accurate calibration of lichen growth rates, adding that the method is best used for earthquakes that occurred within the last 500 years. Sites must be selected to minimize the influence of snow avalanches and other disturbances that would affect normal lichen growth, and conditions like shade and wind that promote faster lichen growth must be factored in.β
We have no reason to think, based on the last two sentence, that Bull and Brandon believe lichenometry is more accurate for dating earthquakes more than 500 years ago.
b
There is no ββββββββ ββββββ βββ βββββββββββ βββ βββββββββ ββ βββ βββββββββ βββ βββββββ βββββββ βββββ βββββββββββ
Nothing in the last two sentences relates to radiation, so we have no reason to think Bull and Brandon assume (B).
c
Lichens are able ββ ββββ ββββ ββ βββ βββββ ββ βββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ ββ βββββββββββ ββββββββ
We have no reason to think, based on the last two sentences, that Bull and Brandon believe lichens can grow only on the rocks common in mountainous regions.
We have no reason to think, based on the last two sentences, that Bull and Brandon believe that the mountain ranges studied in lichenometry are subject to more frequent snowfalls and avalanches than other mountain ranges.
e
The extent to βββββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββββ ββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββββ ββββββββ βββ ββ βββββββββββ
Bull and Brandon assume (E), because they recommend that we βfactor inβ conditions βlike shade and wind that promote faster lichen growth.β So Bull and Brandon assume that itβs possible to determine how these conditions affect growth rate. If they didnβt think it was possible, it wouldnβt make sense for them to recommend factoring in these conditions.
Difficulty
85% of people who answer get this correct
This is a moderately difficult question.
It is slightly harder than the average question in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%136
145
75%154
Analysis
Implied
Science
Single position
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
6%
154
b
1%
156
c
2%
156
d
6%
155
e
85%
164
Question history
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