Water vapor!

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Water vapor!

by gmat_perfect » Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:33 am
Water vapor evaporated from the ocean contains a greater proportion of oxygen-16 and a smaller proportion of the heavier oxygen-18 than does seawater. Normally, this phenomenon has no effect on the overall composition of the ocean, because evaporated seawater returns to the ocean through precipitation. During an ice age, however, a large amount of precipitation falls on ice caps, where it is trapped as ice.

Which one of the following conclusions about a typical ice age is most strongly supported by the statements above?

(A) The proportions of oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 are the same in vapor from seawater as in the seawater itself.

(B) The concentration of oxygen-18 in seawater is increased.

(C) Rain and snow contain relatively more oxygen-16 than they do in interglacial periods.

(D) During the ice age, more of the Earth's precipitation falls over land than falls over the ocean.

(E) The composition of seawater changes more slowly than it does in interglacial periods.

OA: After discussion.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by FightWithGMAT » Sat Jun 05, 2010 2:50 pm
IMO B

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by Testluv » Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:11 pm
Water vapor has more O16 and less O18. During an ice age, this water vapor gets trapped in ice and does not return to the ocean. So, during an ice age, we know we are left with proportionately more O18 in the seawater.

Choose B.
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