Princeton Review [Revised] RC

[mantrapad]

Recent breakthroughs have allowed scientists to create near-absolute-zero conditions in the laboratory. After studying the new data, most physicists now agree that, at absolute zero, atoms will condense into a single entity, in effect becoming one large atom. This transition is known as Bose-Einstein condensation. The question still remains: will a Bose-Einstein condensate behave in a super-orderly manner in other hyper-cold states? Some scientists theorize that its state will be extremely unstable, while others maintain that matter in absolute zero will be tremendously stable because it will be free from motion. Scientists have created atmospheres as cold as one microkelvin (one-millionth of a degree above absolute zero), but have not reached absolute zero itself. The task is daunting, because the colder atoms get, the more prone they are to soaking up energy from any surrounding source, thereby raising their temperatures. Some pessimists in the field suspect that it will be centuries before any group of atoms can be chilled to a state of absolute zero.

According to the passage, most physicists believe that during Bose-Einstein condensation, atoms

A. compress into a single atomic entity, thereby losing their individual atomic identities

B. increase their temperatures by attracting energy from warmer, nearby sources

C. behave in an extremely orderly manner

D. regain their randomness of motion, thereby preventing the unusual phenomena that occur in states of superconductivity and superfluidity

E. maintain a constant temperature of one microkelvin

I thought the answer was

SPOILER: B

But as it turns out, the right answer is

SPOILER: A

The so-called answer doesn't completely stick to the passage, according to me. Any help with this one please?

[mzilee]

I thought the answer was

SPOILER: B

But as it turns out, the right answer is

SPOILER: A

The so-called answer doesn't completely stick to the passage, according to me. Any help with this one please?

I have to say that A is the appropriate entry. Because in the second sentence, it is said that " in effect becoming one large atom", which means the atom is not itself any more. It has transform into another element based on basic chemistry knowledge.

[mantrapad]

Thanks for replying mzilee. Well, I went with the sentence "The task is daunting, because the colder atoms get, the more prone they are to soaking up energy from any surrounding source, thereby raising their temperatures", so I chose B. I thought A had some extra info - "thereby losing their individual atomic identities" - which I know is right, but wasn't specified in the passage; so I didn't want to choose that. I'm still not clear on this... ? Can you please elaborate on the same?

[snakegirl85]

Recent breakthroughs have allowed scientists to create near-absolute-zero conditions in the laboratory. After studying the new data, most physicists now agree that, at absolute zero, atoms will condense into a single entity, in effect becoming one large atom. This transition is known as Bose-Einstein condensation. The question still remains: will a Bose-Einstein condensate behave in a super-orderly manner in other hyper-cold states? Some scientists theorize that its state will be extremely unstable, while others maintain that matter in absolute zero will be tremendously stable because it will be free from motion. Scientists have created atmospheres as cold as one microkelvin (one-millionth of a degree above absolute zero), but have not reached absolute zero itself. The task is daunting, because the colder atoms get, the more prone they are to soaking up energy from any surrounding source, thereby raising their temperatures. Some pessimists in the field suspect that it will be centuries before any group of atoms can be chilled to a state of absolute zero.

According to the passage, most physicists believe that during Bose-Einstein condensation, atoms

A. compress into a single atomic entity, thereby losing their individual atomic identities

B. increase their temperatures by attracting energy from warmer, nearby sources

C. behave in an extremely orderly manner

D. regain their randomness of motion, thereby preventing the unusual phenomena that occur in states of superconductivity and superfluidity

E. maintain a constant temperature of one microkelvin

The key words here are *most scientists agree/believe.* B is a good choice too, but nowhere does the passage state that a majority of scientists *believe* this to be the case, it is basically an undisputed fact.

"Losing their... identities" is a somewhat awkward way to phrase the answer, since one would assume the atoms still retain some of their original properties, but it is essentially paraphrasing the passage ("becoming one large atom").

Hope that helps!

[mzilee]

Thanks for replying mzilee. Well, I went with the sentence "The task is daunting, because the colder atoms get, the more prone they are to soaking up energy from any surrounding source, thereby raising their temperatures", so I chose B. I thought A had some extra info - "thereby losing their individual atomic identities" - which I know is right, but wasn't specified in the passage; so I didn't want to choose that. I'm still not clear on this... ? Can you please elaborate on the same?

That's all right. I have just read the passage and question for a second time. It is necessary to emphasize the concept"Bose-Einstein condensation" which is a transiton happening at the absolute zero. ABSOLUTE ZERO is the lowest temperature. The process of B mentioned, accroding to the defination of "Bose-Einstein condensation" , does not happen during the Bose-Einstein condensation. The temperature in the experiment is

"one-millionth of a degree above absolute zero"

.
In a word, B doesnt answer what the question has asked.

Hope that helps!!!

[mantrapad]

Yes, snakegirl85 and mzilee, I see that I haven't read each part of the question carefully. Your answers made it clear to me. Thanks a whole lot, guys!

[padamae2010]

I also choose A before checking the spoiler. The key for me was that option B said ncrease their temperatures by attracting energy from warmer, nearby sources The article states The task is daunting, because the colder atoms get, the more prone they are to soaking up energy from any surrounding source, thereby raising their temperatures.

While it would seem that it would be a warmer source, since the article says any source, with no mention of temperature, I eliminated this option.