Question

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

• a thermal inversion is a phenomenon where a layer of atmosphere is warmer than the layer beneath it.
• in 2022, a team of researchers studied the presence of thermal inversions in twenty-five gas giants.
• gas giants are planets largely composed of helium and hydrogen.
• the team found that gas giants featuring a thermal inversion were also likely to contain heat-absorbing metals.
• one explanation for this relationship is that these metals may reside in a planets upper atmosphere, where their absorbed heat causes an increase in temperature.

the student wants to present the studys findings to an audience already familiar with thermal inversions. which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

choose 1 answer:

a. gas giants were likely to contain heat-absorbing metals when they featured a layer of atmosphere warmer than the layer beneath it, researchers found; this phenomenon is known as a thermal inversion.

b. the team studied thermal inversions in twenty-five gas giants, which are largely composed of helium and hydrogen.

c. researchers found that gas giants featuring a thermal inversion were likely to contain heat-absorbing metals, which may reside in the planets upper atmospheres.

d. heat-absorbing metals may reside in a planets upper atmosphere.

Explanation:

Analyze the goal and audience

Using the Target Audience Adaptation knowledge point
The target audience is already familiar with thermal inversions. Therefore, the correct choice should avoid defining "thermal inversion" and focus directly on presenting the study's findings.

Evaluate the options based on the goal

Using the Rhetorical Synthesis knowledge point

• (A) defines "thermal inversion" ("this phenomenon is known as a thermal inversion"), which is redundant for this audience.
• (B) focuses on the methodology and composition of gas giants rather than the main findings.
• (C) directly presents the key findings (the link between thermal inversions and heat-absorbing metals in the upper atmosphere) without unnecessary definitions.
• (D) is too narrow and omits the main finding linking the metals to thermal inversions.

Select the most effective choice

Using the Rhetorical Synthesis knowledge point
Option (C) is the most effective because it synthesizes the key findings for an audience that does not need a definition of thermal inversions.

Answer:

• (A) Gas giants were likely to contain heat-absorbing metals when they featured a layer of atmosphere warmer than the layer beneath it, researchers found; this phenomenon is known as a thermal inversion.
• (B) The team studied thermal inversions in twenty-five gas giants, which are largely composed of helium and hydrogen.
• (C) Researchers found that gas giants featuring a thermal inversion were likely to contain heat-absorbing metals, which may reside in the planets' upper atmospheres. (Correct answer)
• (D) Heat-absorbing metals may reside in a planet's upper atmosphere.