Entry Exam Category: High School Equivalency Exams
Course: General Education Development (GED)
Exam: GED Science and Practice Test
Practice Question
Extract
Saturn's rings contain enormous numbers of particles. These particles sometimes experience collisions with each other. Scientists need to know how those collisions transfer energy in order to model the overall structure and composition of the rings. Images of particles in Saturn's rings reveal that only 50-60% of the particles' energy remains after a collision. To identify which types of particles could explain the observations, a scientist tests substances in a laboratory and measures the energy remaining after a collision, To Particles of those substances. The table shows the scientist's results.
Based on these results and assuming that whenever two materials are present their remaining energy is averaged, what would the scientist best conclude to be the composition of Saturn's rings?
Answer Choices
- A: equal amounts of loose rocks and loose snow
- B: equal amounts of ice and bedrock
- C: a small amount of bedrock and a large amount of carbon rock
- D: large amounts of ice and smaller amounts of carbon rock
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Saturn’s rings are primarily ice with minor rocky components, and averaging energy loss (50-60%) aligns with mostly ice.