Introduction to ACT Science Conflicting Viewpoints(Solved Examples) | Science for ACT PDF Download

Introduction

Think of Conflicting Viewpoints Passages as a debate where multiple parties present their contrasting beliefs. While there may be some points of agreement, they often disagree on various aspects.

In the ACT Science section, you will encounter only one Conflicting Viewpoints Passage, and it can appear at any point within the section.

These passages are generally distinguishable as they do not typically include tables, graphs, or figures. Sometimes, there might be a table or graph in the answer choices, but they won't be present in the passage itself.

In every other type of passage, you don't need to worry about understanding the overall context. The big picture is mostly irrelevant. However, with Conflicting Viewpoints Passages, comprehending the main idea is crucial. There won't be a quick graph, table, or easily identifiable data to quickly reference or scan. Therefore, it is essential to have some understanding of the content before attempting the questions. Otherwise, you will end up reading the entire passage anyway.

Approaching Conflicting Viewpoints Passages

When tackling these passages, you will follow a slightly different checklist:

1. Rapidly read the entire passage and create a mental table of contents. You don't need to remember specific details, numbers, equations, etc. Your goal is to understand the general topic or subject matter discussed in the passages.
2. Identify the "main idea" of the passage. Simply state the primary concept or topic the passage is addressing. It could be as straightforward as "Three individuals discuss the reasons for dinosaur extinction" or "Four experts attempt to explain the production of formaldehyde through a specific chemical reaction." A concise summary will suffice.
3. Determine each individual's viewpoint in the passage. This step is crucial. The passages revolve around multiple individuals, such as "scientist 1" and "scientist 2" or "Researcher 1" and "Researcher 2," who either agree or disagree on a certain theory or its elements. The more you can simplify their perspectives, the easier it will be to answer each question.

By following these guidelines, you can enhance your understanding of Conflicting Viewpoints Passages and facilitate the answering process for each question.

Approaching Conflicting Viewpoints Passages: Simplifying and Focusing

To simplify the understanding of the passage and facilitate question answering, I recommend taking notes in a concise manner. Here's an example using a particular passage:

• Scientist 1: Stars -> 20 Mm big individually, need to merge for growth.
• Scientist 2: Stars -> 40 Ms big individually, need to merge for growth.
• Scientist 3: Mergers unlikely. Stars can grow independently.

These simplified summaries capture the core ideas expressed by each scientist. By labeling them in this straightforward manner, you can answer most questions without the need for additional research or revisiting the passage.

When answering questions, pay careful attention to the relevant viewpoint. Ensure you are focusing on the correct scientist. It is common for the ACT to include answer choices that reflect Scientist 2's perspective, hoping to catch unaware test-takers.

This is especially crucial in Conflicting Viewpoints questions that ask, "Which of the following would support Scientist 1 but not Scientist 2?" To maintain clarity, circle or underline the scientist you are aiming to support (in this case, Scientist 1). Cross out or put an X through the scientist you are not supporting:

Example: Which of the following would support Scientist 1 but not Scientist 2?

Additional Guidelines

Here are a few more points to remember when tackling conflicting viewpoints questions:

1. Fact-based Questions: Some questions will require you to recall specific facts from the passage. For these questions, refer back to the relevant paragraph. While these questions may seem easy, be cautious of making careless mistakes.
2. Restating Information: Certain questions ask you to restate information presented in both viewpoints. For instance, if the DNA Hypothesis and Protein Hypothesis both agree on certain statements, you'll need to identify the statement that aligns with both viewpoints. To do this, use the process of elimination. Assess each option and eliminate any that are mentioned in only one hypothesis.
3. Ignore Validity of Viewpoints: It's important to disregard the validity of a viewpoint. In some cases, one viewpoint may be scientifically incorrect, which you may recognize based on your prior scientific knowledge. However, even if a viewpoint is factually false, you still need to comprehend it and be able to answer questions related to it.

By keeping these additional guidelines in mind, you can approach conflicting viewpoints questions more effectively and improve your accuracy in answering them.

Example 1:

A chemistry teacher conducted an experiment using two beakers of water placed inside a fume hood. One beaker contained pure water, while the other had salt dissolved in it. The teacher then introduced an unidentified solid metal into both solutions. The metal exhibited a strong reaction with the salty water, resulting in a spark, but showed no reaction with the pure water.

Three students were asked to provide explanations for the observed phenomenon.

Student I
According to Student I, the metal's rough surface caused friction when it came into contact with the salt particles in the water. This friction generated heat, leading to the spark. The presence of a rough surface in both the metal and the salt particles was essential for generating sufficient friction. Since the pure water lacked salt particles, there were no particles available to create friction with the metal surface.

Student 2
Student 2 proposed that the metal possessed a charged ionic surface that interacted with the salts in the water. When the metal's surface came into contact with the salty water, the positive and negative charged particles from the metal and the salts reacted, resulting in the spark. The metal must have had a charged center to retain the ions on its surface. Since the pure water did not contain any charged particles, it was clear that no reaction would have taken place.

Student 3
Student 3 agreed with Student 2 but with a slight difference in opinion. According to Student 3, the metal did not contain a charged center. Instead, the ionic surface was held together by ionic bonds between the charged particles. This formed an outer layer on the metal's surface, which reacted with the salt particles in the water.

Had the metal possessed a charged center, it would have reacted with its own outer layer and neutralized any positive or negative charges present on its surface.

Q.1. Which compound could the salt solute added by the teacher to one of the beakers potentially be?
A. H₂
B. CO₂
C. NaCI
D. O₂

_{Correct Answer is Option C}

_{NaC1, or sodium chloride, is a common salt in chemistry.}

Q.2. Which student(s) would agree that the metal was charged before being introduced to the beakers?
A. Student 1 only
B. Student 2 only
C. Students 1 and 2
D. Students 2 and 3

_{Correct Answer is Option D
The first sentences of each student show us that Students 2 mentioned a charged center and Student 3 agrees with Student 2’s viewpoint}

Q.3. To which experiment does Student 1's explanation best relate?
A. A kite flying during a thunderstorm
B. A ball thrown up in the air
C. A block sliding across sandpaper
D. An acid solution neutralized with a base solution

_{Correct Answer is Option C
A block sliding across sandpaper. Student 1's explanation mentioning a rough surface and friction aligns well with the scenario described in option C.}

Q.4. Do Students 2 and 3 have differing explanations for why a spark occurred?
A. No. Both students claim the charged output surface of the metal caused a spark.
B. No. Both students claim the charged center of the metal caused a spark.
C. Yes. Student 2 argues the charged surface caused a spark, whereas Student 3 argues the charged center caused the spark.
D. Yes. Student 2 argues the charged center caused a spark, whereas Student 3 argues the charged surface caused the spark.

_{Correct Answer is Option C
Yes. Student 2 argues that the charged surface caused a spark, while Student 3 argues that the charged center caused the spark.}

Q.5. Suppose the experiment is repeated with another metal having a smooth uncharged surface but a charged center. Which student, if any, would claim that this metal would cause a spark with the salty water?
A. Student 1
B. Student 2
C. Student 3
D. None of the students

_{Correct Answer is Option D
None of the students. None of the students' explanations suggest that a metal with a smooth uncharged surface and a charged center would cause a spark with the salty water.}

Q.6. Lightning is produced when negative and positive charged particles in the clouds come close to each other, creating a spark. Which viewpoint(s) best help describe the natural phenomenon known as lightning?
A. Student 1 only
B. Student 3 only
C. Students 2 and 3
D. All of the students

_{Correct Answer is Option C
Students 2 and 3. Both Student 2 and Student 3 mention charged particles and their interactions, which are relevant to describing the phenomenon of lightning.}

Q.7. Suppose the teacher conducted the same experiment but used an acetone solvent instead of water in the beakers. Based on the teacher's demonstration and the three viewpoints, how would this affect the results of the experiment?
A. No reaction would occur in the salty solution.
B. A spark would occur in the pure acetone solution.
C. The salt would dissolve readily in the acetone.
D. Cannot be determined from the given information.

_{Correct Answer is Option D
Cannot be determined from the given information. The effect of using acetone as a solvent instead of water on the results of the experiment is not provided, so it cannot be determined.}

Example 2:

Four scientists from the early 1900s engage in a discussion about the structure of atoms, particularly the arrangement of electrons, protons, and neutrons within an atom.

Scientist 1
According to Scientist 1, atoms have nuclei, which are positively charged centers. Since the nuclei carry a positive charge, they must contain protons. The nucleus is the most densely packed part of the atom, holding the majority of the mass in a small space. In contrast, the area outside the nucleus is less dense. Since foreign particles do not experience deflection when in close proximity to an atom, electrons must be located outside the nucleus. The exact location of the neutron is difficult to determine due to its neutral charge.

Scientist 2
Scientist 2 agrees with Scientist 1, with one difference. According to Scientist 2, the neutron must be situated within the nucleus. The mass-to-volume ratio of the nucleus is too high for it to contain only protons. There must be an additional subatomic particle within the center, and since the nucleus carries a positive charge, that particle cannot be the electron.

Scientist 3
Scientist 3 posits that atoms consist of positively charged nucleoid regions. Although this region is not very dense, it houses most of the positively charged subatomic particles. Some protons exist outside this region as well. Foreign particles experience significant deflection when near an atom, indicating that neutrons and electrons must be located outside the nucleus. The electron alone is too small to cause such high-frequency deflections.

Scientist 4
Scientist 4 agrees with Scientist 3, with one variation. Both inside and outside the nucleoid region, an equal number of protons exist. The mass-to-volume ratio of the nucleus is too small to contain the majority of protons. Considering the high frequency of deflections outside the nucleoid region, it is more likely for a greater number of protons to be located outside this region.

Q.1. Which scientist, if any, asserted that the atom possesses a positively charged center?
A. Scientists 1 and 2
B. Scientists 3 and 4
C. All of the scientists
D. None of the scientists

Correct Answer is Option C
All of the scientists. The first sentences of both Scientist 1 and Scientist 3 indicate that they asserted the presence of a positively charged center in the atom.

Q.2. Whose model suggests that the positively charged center of the atom is the most massive?
A. Scientist 1
B. Scientist 2
C. Scientist 3
D. Scientist 4

Correct Answer is Option B.
Scientist 2. Scientist 2's model suggests that the positively charged center of the atom is the most massive.

Q.3. According to Scientist 1, as one moves farther from the center of the nucleus, what happens to the density of the atom?
A. It increases
B. It decreases
C. It remains constant
D. It varies, but with no general trend

Correct Answer is Option B. 
It decreases. Scientist 1 states that as one moves farther from the center of the nucleus, the density of the atom decreases.

Q.4. The discovery that all protons within an atom are located inside the nucleus contradicts the views of which scientist the most?
A. Scientist 1
B. Scientist 2
C. Scientist 3
D. Scientist 4

Correct Answer is Option D.
Scientist 4. Scientist 4's view contradicts the discovery that all protons within an atom are located inside the nucleus.

Q.5. Suppose a neutral metallic ball comes into contact with a positively charged rod, causing the aggregation of more positive particles in the center of the ball than on the outer layer. Would Scientist 3 agree or disagree with the distribution of positive particles within the ball, assuming the ball mimics the same mechanism as an atom?
A. Agree, because the center region of the atom has more positive particles than the outer region.
B. Agree, because the center region of the atom has fewer positive particles than the outer region.
C. Disagree, because the center region of the atom has more positive particles than the outer region.
D. Disagree, because the center region of the atom has fewer positive particles than the outer region.

Correct Answer is Option A.
Agree, because the center region of the atom has more positive particles than the outer region. Scientist 3 would agree with the distribution of positive particles within the ball, as described in option A.

Q.6. Which device was Scientist 1 most likely using when attempting to determine the location of the neutron?
A. A balance, which measures mass.
B. An electrometer, which measures electrical charge.
C. A barometer, which measures pressure.
D. A lux meter, which measures the intensity of light.

Correct Answer is Option B.
An electrometer, which measures electrical charge. Scientist 1 was most likely using an electrometer when attempting to determine the location of the neutron.

Q.7. In the progression of atomic structure shown in science textbooks, which scientist's model best represents the present-day understanding?
A. Scientist 1
B. Scientist 2
C. Scientist 3
D. Scientist 4

Correct Answer is Option B.
Scientist 2. In the progression of atomic structure, Scientist 2's model best represents the present-day understanding.