Question

while researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: - ducklings expend up to 62% less energy when swimming in a line behind their mother than when swimming alone. - the physics behind this energy saving hasnt always been well understood. - naval architect zhiming yuan used computer simulations to study the effect of the mother duck’s wake. - the study revealed that ducklings are pushed in a forward direction by the wake’s motion. - yuan discovered that this push reduces the effect of wave drag on the ducklings by 15%. 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 andy revealed that ducklings, which expend up to 62% less energy when swimming in a line behind their mother, also experience 15% 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 duck’s 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 mother’s wake, reducing the effect of drag by 15%.

Explanation:

To determine the correct option, we analyze each choice:

• Option A: States ducklings expand energy (incorrect, the study is about saving energy).
• Option B: Mentions seeking to understand energy saving and using simulations to study the mother's wake effect, which aligns with the study's goal of presenting the study and methodology.
• Option C: Incorrectly frames the physics as "behind the fact" and misrepresents the energy - saving mechanism.
• Option D: Focuses on the discovery of drag reduction percentage, not the study and its 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.