Recently, photons and neutrinos emitted

Answer choices

1. A

   No Impact12% picked this

   Einstein predicted that photons and neutrinos emitted by any one supernova would

   This says Einstein predicted simultaneous arrival. That tells us his theory makes this prediction — but the argument is about whether the actual observation favors his theory over alternatives. A theory predicting an outcome only supports the theory if the outcome would be unexpected without it. (A) doesn't establish that. The same observation could be consistent with theories in which gravity is not a property of space.

   12%
2. B

   Correct78% picked this

   If gravity is not a property of space itself, then photons and neutrinos emitted simultaneously by a distant event will

   Why this is right

   This is exactly the strengthener. (B) says: if gravity is not a property of space, then simultaneously emitted photons and neutrinos would arrive at different times. Combined with the observation that they actually arrived at the same time, the argument can run a clean contrapositive: same time → gravity IS a property of space (Einstein wins). (B) makes the simultaneous-arrival fact specifically diagnostic of curved-space gravity.

   Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   78%
3. C

   Opposite2% picked this

   Photons and neutrinos emitted by distant events would be undetectable on Earth if Einstein’s claim that gravity is a property

   This says photons and neutrinos would be undetectable on Earth if Einstein's claim were correct. But the argument is built on the fact that they were detected. If Einstein's claim implied undetectability, then either the observation contradicts Einstein, or Einstein is wrong about detection — either way, this answer cuts against the argument, not for it.

   2%
4. D

   No Impact2% picked this

   Photons and neutrinos were the only kinds of particles that reached Earth

   Whether photons and neutrinos were the only kinds of particles detected from the supernova doesn't bear on whether their simultaneous arrival supports Einstein. Other particles being detected (or not) doesn't change the argument's reasoning about these two.

   2%
5. E

   No Impact5% picked this

   Prior to the simultaneous arrival of photons and neutrinos from the supernova, there was no empirical evidence for Einstein’s claim that gravity

   Whether earlier evidence existed for Einstein's claim doesn't affect whether this observation supports it. The argument is about the strength of the present evidence, not about its priority in time. Even if no prior evidence existed, the simultaneous-arrival observation could still support Einstein, and (E) doesn't change that.

   5%