PrepTest 120

Incorrect. If anything, the stimulus suggests the opposite. If the temperature decreases as you go straight up, you'd expect the thicker areas to have a cooler temperature at the top. And it's noted that the equator is cooler, not the poles. That said, it's unclear what the starting temperatures are at the bottom of the Troposphere, so we can't even reach that conclusion for sure. This answer is therefore incorrect.

Incorrect. The temperature at the bottom of the Stratosphere over the poles (~-50) is warmer than over the equator (~-85). However, there's no indication what the temperature is at the top of the Stratosphere. The temperature increases as you go straight up in the Stratosphere, but it could be much thicker over the equator than over the poles and thus much warmer at the top.

Incorrect. Similar to (B), without knowing how thick the Stratosphere is over these areas, we can't compare temperatures at different points there.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True

Stimulus Summary:
Troposphere:
(1) Lowest level of Earth's atmosphere
(2) Temperature decreases as you go straight up in it
(3) At the top, temps are between -50 (poles) and -85 (equator)
Stratosphere:
(1) Right above troposphere
(2) Temperature increases as you go straight up in it
(3) Warmed by ozone (absorbs UV sunlight, generating heat)

Answer Anticipation:
That's a lot of science!

Here, there's a lot of information that's presented about two different sections of the atmosphere. There are some comparisons, proportional relationships, causal relationships, etc. . .

And it's unclear exactly how all of this is going to come together in a correct answer. As such, we should make sure that we understand the split between the Troposphere and the Stratosphere, and then head to the answers ASAP so we can fully analyze each one and compare it to information in the stimulus.

Answer Explanation:
The stimulus notes that, in the Stratosphere, the temperature increases as you go straight up. Therefore, at the top, it must be warmer than at the bottom—and the bottom of the Stratosphere is at the top of the Troposphere. This answer is supported.

Key Takeaway:
Some questions are going to throw a whole bunch of details at you. Don't panic! Note any statements that align with the type that generally lead to correct answers (strong, causal, comparative, conditional), and then give yourself time to analyze the answers.

Incorrect. Ozone heats the stratosphere, so this answer is—if anything—contradicted by the stimulus.