Recent observations suggest that small, earthlike worlds form a very low percentage of the planets orbiting stars in the galaxy other than the sun. Of over two hundred planets that astronomers have detected around other stars, almost all are hundreds of times larger and heavier than the earth and orbit stars much smaller than the sun.
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the above justification of the claim that earthlike worlds form a low percentage of the total number of planets?
A. There are millions of planets orbiting stars around which astronomers have not attempted to detect planets.
B. The best current astronomical theories predict that almost all planets around other stars are probably hundreds of times larger than the earth.
C. A planet orbiting a star similar to the sun would be more likely to be earthlike in size than would a planet orbiting a much smaller star.
D. The smaller a planet is relative to the star it orbits, the more difficult it is for astronomers to detect.
E. The observations would have detected any small, earthlike worlds orbiting the stars around which larger planets have been detected.
OA D
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Recent observations suggest that small, earthlike worlds for
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Premise: Recent observations suggest that small, earthlike worlds form a very low percentage of the planets orbiting stars in the galaxy other than the sun.
Conclusion: Of over two hundred planets that astronomers have detected around the stars, almost all are hundreds of times larger and heavier than the earth and orbit stars much smaller than the sun.
Option A - Incorrect:
We are only concerned about the planets that astronomers have detected, therefore, we do not know about the planets that astronomers are yet to detect.
Option B - Incorrect:
This option gives an example that strengthens the argument rather than weakens it because almost all planets around other stars are hundreds of times larger than the earth.
Option C - Incorrect:
This claim strengthens the argument in accordance with the passage.
Option D - Correct:
This option weakens the argument the most because we can't know from the passage if the smaller a planet is relative to the star it orbits, the more difficult it is for the astronomers to detect.
Therefore, this option is literally against the argument.
Option E - Incorrect:[/b
According to the passage, recent observations suggest small earlike worlds. Hence, the word "would have" impedes the flow of this option,
Conclusion: Of over two hundred planets that astronomers have detected around the stars, almost all are hundreds of times larger and heavier than the earth and orbit stars much smaller than the sun.
Option A - Incorrect:
We are only concerned about the planets that astronomers have detected, therefore, we do not know about the planets that astronomers are yet to detect.
Option B - Incorrect:
This option gives an example that strengthens the argument rather than weakens it because almost all planets around other stars are hundreds of times larger than the earth.
Option C - Incorrect:
This claim strengthens the argument in accordance with the passage.
Option D - Correct:
This option weakens the argument the most because we can't know from the passage if the smaller a planet is relative to the star it orbits, the more difficult it is for the astronomers to detect.
Therefore, this option is literally against the argument.
Option E - Incorrect:[/b
According to the passage, recent observations suggest small earlike worlds. Hence, the word "would have" impedes the flow of this option,
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This prompt forces us to think outside the boundaries of earth <i class="em em-yum"></i>
JK
Conclusion is difficult to spot in this question, but if you read the prompt carefully it's not that hard then.
Here is the conclusion - "Of over two hundred planets that astronomers have detected around the stars, almost all are hundreds of times larger and heavier than the earth and orbit stars much smaller than the sun."
Which basically means that scientists haven't found any smaller earth like planets out of the 200 or more they have detected.
But what if smaller planets are harder to detect than larger planets?
Or what if our technology isn't so advanced that we can detect smaller planets.
Reasoning on the similar grounds will help us weaken the conclusion.
As you may see, option D will weaken it directly as its on the similar grounds of our reasoning.
It says that smaller planets are difficult to detect. Therefore, it becomes even harder for scientists to detect a smaller earth like planet.
Hence weakens the prompt that "none of the planets found were smaller like earth"
JK
Conclusion is difficult to spot in this question, but if you read the prompt carefully it's not that hard then.
Here is the conclusion - "Of over two hundred planets that astronomers have detected around the stars, almost all are hundreds of times larger and heavier than the earth and orbit stars much smaller than the sun."
Which basically means that scientists haven't found any smaller earth like planets out of the 200 or more they have detected.
But what if smaller planets are harder to detect than larger planets?
Or what if our technology isn't so advanced that we can detect smaller planets.
Reasoning on the similar grounds will help us weaken the conclusion.
As you may see, option D will weaken it directly as its on the similar grounds of our reasoning.
It says that smaller planets are difficult to detect. Therefore, it becomes even harder for scientists to detect a smaller earth like planet.
Hence weakens the prompt that "none of the planets found were smaller like earth"
Option A - Wrong
The argument is concerned about the planets that astronomers have detected. So, we are not concerned about the planets that astronomers are yet to detect.
Option D - Correct
If the astronomers have missed detecting the other smaller stars, then the conclusion is most probably wrong. hence this choice weakens the argument.
The argument is concerned about the planets that astronomers have detected. So, we are not concerned about the planets that astronomers are yet to detect.
Option D - Correct
If the astronomers have missed detecting the other smaller stars, then the conclusion is most probably wrong. hence this choice weakens the argument.
