Question

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

• platinum is a rare and expensive metal.
• it is used as a catalyst for chemical reactions.
• platinum catalysts typically require a large amount of platinum to be effective.
• researcher jianbo tang and his colleagues created a platinum catalyst that combines platinum with liquid gallium.
• their catalyst was highly effective and required only trace amounts of platinum (0.0001% of the atoms in the mixture).

the student wants to explain an advantage of the new platinum catalyst developed by jianbo tang and his colleagues. which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
choose 1 answer:
a like other platinum catalysts, the new platinum catalyst requires a particular amount of the metal to be effective.
b platinum is a rare and expensive metal that is used as a catalyst for chemical reactions; however, platinum catalysts typically require a large amount of platinum to be effective.
c while still highly effective, the new platinum catalyst requires far

Explanation:

To determine the advantage of the new platinum catalyst, we analyze the options:

• Option A: Fails to highlight the advantage (focuses on "a particular amount" without contrasting with typical catalysts’ high platinum needs).
• Option B: Only describes platinum and typical catalysts, not the new catalyst’s advantage.
• Option C (inferred from context): The new catalyst is "highly effective" but requires "far less platinum" (trace amounts, 0.0001%) than typical catalysts (which need large amounts). Since platinum is rare/expensive, using less platinum while remaining effective is a key advantage.

Answer:

C. While still highly effective, the new platinum catalyst requires far less platinum (only 0.0001% of the atoms in the mixture) than typical platinum catalysts, making it more practical given platinum’s rarity and expense.

(Note: The exact wording of Option C may vary, but the core logic is that it contrasts the new catalyst’s low platinum usage with its effectiveness, emphasizing the advantage.)