Logical Reasoning

PT132 · S2 · Q20 Astronomer: Earlier estimates

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Astronomer: Earlier estimates of the distances of certain stars from Earth would mean that these stars are about 1 billion years older than the universe itself, an impossible scenario.

Apparent Paradox

Earlier estimates of the distances of certain stars from Earth would mean that these stars are about 1 billion years older than the universe itself, an impossible scenario.

My estimates of the distances indicate that these stars are much farther away than previously thought.

And the farther away the stars are, the greater their intrinsic brightness must be, given their appearance to us on Earth.

So the new estimates of these stars' distances from Earth help resolve the earlier conflict between the ages of these stars and the age of the universe.

Evaluate

Since the stars are much further away than previously estimated, they must burn more brightly than was thought before. Why would increasing the brightness of these stars resolve the conflict between the ages of the starts and the age of the universe. If brighter stars were younger stars, then the age of these stars would be reduced.

20.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain why the astronomer's estimates of the stars' distances from Earth help resolve the earlier conflict between the ages of these stars and the age of the universe?

  1. The stars are the oldest

    Deepens the Paradox

    The first statements indicates that researchers couldn’t find any correlation between weather and arthritis pain.

    2% picked this

  2. The younger the universe is,

    Reversal

    This reverses the relationship Y ? B that provides insight into why making the stars brighter would make them younger.

    6% picked this

  3. Correct

    The brighter a star is,

    Why this is right

    This builds a bridge between the stars being brighter and them not being older than the universe. B ? Y

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

    71% picked this

  4. How bright celestial objects appear

    Premise

    This paraphrases the third statement.

    20% picked this

  5. New telescopes allow astronomers to

    Too Weak

    While this might suggest how the new estimates of the stars ages were reached, but it does not indicate how the new understanding of brightness level indicates anything about the age of the stars.

    2% picked this

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