Logical Reasoning

PT149 · S1 · Q15 Physicists attempting to create

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Physicists attempting to create new kinds of atoms often do so by fusing together two existing atoms.

Statements

To create a new kind of atom, we often try to fuse together two existing ones.

conditional (must)

Fusion of two collide fast enough to overcome existing atoms → electromagnetic force of into a new one atoms repelling each other

pivot (but), conditional (if)

they collide → new atom super fast is very hot

volume dial (the more X, the more Y)

the hotter the greater the chance the atom, is immediately splits apart

Evaluate

There are two conditionals that have some overlap (in the sense that both of them are talking about atoms colliding and the energy of the collision). But the symbols there aren't a match, so we can't chain the conditionals together.

There's also a big conspicuous pivot: But, so we want to think about how to reconcile what comes before and after that pivot.

For two different atoms to fuse together, the collision has to be fast enough to overcome electromagnetic force. But if it's too fast, then the new atom will be super hot and might split apart again into the two constituent atoms.

Goal

It's hard to predict where this is headed, but we might see an answer saying, "Physicists have to dial in the collision speed to the sweet spot, where it's energetic enough to overcome electromagnetic force but not so energetic that the new atom is super heated and splits apart again.

15.

Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?

  1. When physicists create new kinds

    Too Strong: usually

    The information we've heard supports the possibility that when physicists create new kinds of atoms, the new atoms might split apart again immediately. But we have no support for the idea that in more than 50% of cases it splits apart again immediately.

    1% picked this

  2. If a new atom produced

    Contradicted, if anything

    The information is telling us, too little energy → electromagnetic force repels atoms, new one never forms just right energy → electromagnetic is overcome, new atom stays together too much energy → electromagnetic is overcome, new atom forms, but then splits apart again So if the new atom splits apart, that means we had too much energy. It "greatly exceeds the minimum required for the fusion to take place (for the separate atoms to overcome the electromagnetic force).

    3% picked this

  3. The stronger the electromagnetic force

    Too Strong

    Too Strong: the more X, the more Y This seems pretty tempting. The stronger the electromagnetic force, the more collision energy two atoms would have to have to overcome it and create a new atom. Were we told that "the more energy there is in the collision, the hotter the new atom is"? Not quite. We were told that excess energy will be converted into heat. So it's not the absolute amount of energy needed to overcome the electromagnetic force, it's the relative sense of how much we overshoot that threshold. If atoms A and B repel each other with 50 units of repellant, we'll need at least 51 units of collision energy to make a new atom. If they collide with 60 units of collision energy, the excess (+10) will be converted to heat. If atoms X and Y repel each other with 100 units of repellant, we'll need at least 101 units of collision energy to make a new atom. If they collide with 110 units of collision energy, the excess (+10) will be converted to heat. We can only prove the new atom formed is only going to be hotter if one collision overshoots the minimum energy more than another new atom does. But if a collision just barely eclipses the minimum energy, then even if the minimum energy is some huge amount, it still won't heat up the atom.

    6% picked this

  4. Whenever two existing atoms are

    Too Strong: little produced unless

    We can't sign off on any massive generalization about two atoms colliding to fuse into a new atom. All we know is that the collision was enough to overcome the electromagnetic force. We don't know how much energy was or wasn't produced in the collision, and we have no way to permanently anchor that concept to whether the new atom did or didn't immediately split apart.

    2% picked this

  5. Correct

    If two atoms collide with

    Why this is right

    This is just saying, "if we miss the sweet spot and collide with too much energy (considerably more than the minimum), then the excess energy will be converted into heat, making the atom very hot, increasing the chance that it will immediately split apart again".

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

    89% picked this

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