ParadoxDiff: Easy

Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: Wind needs heat to exist, and on Earth, that heat comes from the Sun. Jupiter is too far away to get much heat from the Sun, but it somehow has much stronger winds than we do.

Reasoning: Wind is caused by temperature differences, which on Earth come from the Sun; however, Jupiter is too far from the Sun for solar heat to matter, yet it has much faster winds than Earth.

Analysis: The paradox here is the 'missing engine.' If temperature differences drive wind, and the Sun isn't providing the heat to create those differences on Jupiter, where is the energy coming from? To resolve this, we need to find an alternative source of heat that doesn't involve the Sun. Look for an answer that introduces an internal heat source or another physical mechanism that creates the necessary temperature gradients in Jupiter's atmosphere.

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8.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the facts cited above about Jupiter and its winds?

Correct Answer
A
If Jupiter’s atmosphere is warmed by an internal heat source, that supplies the temperature differences needed for winds, even without significant solar input. That neatly explains why Jupiter can have very strong winds.
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