Question

while researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• ducklings expend up to 62.8% less energy when swimming in a line behind their mother than when swimming alone.
• the physics behind this energy - savings hasnt always been well - understood.
• naval architect zhiming yuan used computer simulations to study the effect of the mother ducks wake.
• the study revealed that ducklings are pushed in a forward direction by the wakes waves.
• yuan determined this push reduces the effect of wave drag on the ducklings by 158%.

the student wants to present the study and its methodology. which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
a) a study revealed that ducklings, which expend up to 62.8% less energy when swimming in a line behind their mother, also experience 158% less drag.
b) seeking to understand how ducklings swimming in a line behind their mother save energy, zhiming yuan used computer simulations to study the effect of the mother ducks wake.
c) zhiming yuan studied the physics behind the fact that by being pushed in a forward direction by waves, ducklings save energy.
d) naval architect zhiming yuan discovered that ducklings are pushed in a forward direction by the waves of their mothers wake, reducing the effect of drag by 158%.

Explanation:

The goal is to present the study and its methodology. Option B starts with the research question (how ducklings swimming behind their mother save energy) and mentions the researcher (Zhiming Yuan) and the methodology (computer - simulations to study the mother duck's wake), covering all key aspects. Option A only focuses on the results. Option C doesn't mention the methodology. Option D also mainly focuses on the result rather than the overall study and methodology.

Answer:

B. Seeking to understand how ducklings swimming in a line behind their mother save energy, Zhiming Yuan used computer simulations to study the effect of the mother duck's wake.