ACT science practice test 19

PASSAGE IV

Salt pans are unusual geologic formations found in deserts. They are
formed inendorheic basins, which are lowland areas where water collects but
has no outflow. Any rain that falls or any water that is collected in an endorheic
basin remains there permanently, except for what is lost through evaporation.
This type of closed system often leads to a high concentration of salt and other
minerals.
Study 1
Four different salt pans around the world were studied. The volumes of
mineral deposits were estimated from the surface areas of the salt pans and
the average thickness of the deposits. The ages of the salt pans were also
estimated based on the mineral volume. The estimates are shown in Table 1.

Study 2
The same four salt pans were excavated for fossils. Fossil remnants of
extinct plant species were found within each of the salt pans. The ages of the
fossils found were similar to the ages of the salt pans (See Table 2). Scientists
hypothesize that flooding of each salt pan may have led to the extinction of the
plant species.
1. Which of the following statements is best supported by information in the
passage?
F. Water that has collected in endorheic basins is at least 21.0 million years old.
G. The age of fossilized plant species cannot be precisely estimated.
H. More water has collected in and evaporated from older salt pans.
J. Any endorheic basin that is less than 2.0 million years old contains no fossils.

2. Which one of the following graphs best represents the relationship between
the mineral volume and the age of the salt pans, according to Study 1?

A.

B.

C.
D.

3. Is the conclusion that Salt pan A contains more extinct plant fossils than
does Salt pan D supported by information in the passage?
F. Yes, because Salt pan A is younger than Salt pan D.
G. Yes, because the passage suggests that it is easier for plants to grow in
areas with a lower mineral volume.
H. No, because Salt pan D contains a different type of fossilized plant.
J. No, because the passage does not include data regarding the quantity of
plant fossils found in the salt pans.

4. From the results of Table 1, you could conclude that a salt pan formed more
than 21 million years ago would have a mineral value:
A. between 5,700,000 km3 and 12,150,000 km3.

B. equal to approximately the mineral volume of Salt pan B.

C. greater than 12,150,000 km3.

D. less than 2,000,000 km3.

5. A fossilized plant approximately 9.7 million years old was recently

discovered in a salt pan in North America. It was most likely found in a salt pan
similar to:
F. Salt pan A.
G. Salt pan B.
H. Salt pan C.
J. Salt pan D.

PASSAGE V
Petroleum, or crude oil, is refined by separating it into different
by-products. This process is called fractional distillation, whereby the crude oil
is heated and each different product is distilled, or drawn off, at different stages.
Each product is distilled at certain temperature ranges and collected in
separate receivers. Petroleum refining is carried out in a boiler and a
fractionating tower. The crude oil is super-heated in the boiler to about 600°C,
which vaporizes the crude oil. The vapors then rise in the tower to certain
levels where they cool and condense, according to their chemical structure.
When the vapor reaches a height in the tower where the temperature in the
column is equal to the boiling point of the substance, the vapor turns into liquid
(condenses), collects in troughs, and flows into various tanks for storage, as
shown in Figure 1. Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of the by-products
obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum.

Figure 1

1. According to the passage, the temperature at which gasoline condenses is

most likely:
A. less than 0°C.
B. less than 40°C.
C. greater than 40°C, but less than 70°C.
D. greater than 70°C, but less than 120°C.

2. According to the passage, which by-product formed in the fractionating

tower condenses first?
F. Petroleum gas
G. Kerosene
H. Gas oil
J. Residue

3. According to Figure 1, fractional distillation uses which of the following as a

raw material?
A. Gasoline
B. Residue
C. Crude oil
D. Gas oil

4. Given that naptha, another by-product of petroleum distillation, has a

condensation point of approximately 90°C, between which two petroleum
by-products would this substance be found in a fractionating tower?
F. Gasoline and kerosene
G. Lubricating oil stocks and gas oil
H. Kerosene and gas oil
J. Residue and lubricating oil stocks

5. According to the passage, at what temperature is most of the crude oil

vaporized?
A. 600°C
B. 300°C
C. 100°C
D. 20°C

6. According to the passage, as the vapor rises in the fractionating tower:

F. the condensation temperature increases only.
G. the condensation temperature decreases only.
H. the condensation temperature increases quickly, then slowly decreases.
J. the condensation temperature remains stable at 600°C.

Answers and Explanations

1. Correct Answer: H
Explanation:
The best answer is H. As shown in Table 1, the estimated mineral volume of
the oldest salt pan (21 million years old) is 12,150,000 cubic kilometers; the
estimated mineral volume of the youngest salt pan (4.5 million years old) is
only 2,000,000 cubic kilometers. The deposits were formed as collected water
evaporated, so the much larger volume of minerals in the oldest basin
suggests that more water has collected and evaporated there.

2. Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
The best answer is B. As Table 1 shows for Study 1, there is a direct, positive
relationship between mineral volume and age of the salt pans. As the age
increased, the mineral volume is also shown to increase in each of the four
cases. This direct relationship is shown in the graph in answer choice B.

3. Correct Answer: J
Explanation:
The best answer is J. There is no information contained within either Study 1 or
Study 2, or in either of the tables that makes reference to the quantity of plant
fossils. The only references to plant fossils are that they were found in each
salt pan, that the ages were similar, and that the flooding was thought to cause
plant extinction. Plant species is not shown by the data to influence quantity of
fossils.

4. Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The best answer is C. Since there is a direct, positive relationship between salt
pan age and mineral volume, if a salt pan were to have formed before the
oldest salt pan in the study, then it would likely contain a greater volume of
minerals than that pan is shown to contain. Since the oldest pan in the study
contained 12,150,000 cubic kilometers of minerals, a pan older than that would
have a higher mineral value.

5. Correct Answer: H
Explanation:
The best answer is H. Since the ages of the fossils are stated in Study 2 to be
similar to the ages of the salt pans, a fossil that is 9.7 million years old would
be closest in age to Salt pan C (10.8 million years old) and, therefore, would
most likely be found in a similar salt pan.
1. Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The best answer is C. As shown in Table 1, the temperature of gasoline is
between 40°and 70°C.

2. Correct Answer: J
Explanation:
The best answer is J. Figure 1 shows a diagram of the fractioning tower, which
places residue as the first substance to be condensed and drawn off.
Additionally, the passage states that the vapor rises through the tower and
cools, condensing at the appropriate points—this means that the substance
with the hottest condensation temperature would be first.

3. Correct Answer: C
Explanation:
The best answer is C. Within the passage is says that, "this process is called
fractional distillation, whereby the crude oil is heated … " Gasoline, residue,
and gas oil are all products that result from the process of fractional distillation.
The passage clearly discusses crude oil in the context of a raw material.

4. Correct Answer: F
Explanation:
The best answer is F. A condensation point of 90°C would place naptha in
Table 1 between gasoline (40°to 70°C) and kerosene (100°to 120°C), as it is
above the upper end of gasoline and below the lower end of kerosene.

5. Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
The best answer is A. Within the passage it is discussed that "the crude oil is
super-heated in the boiler to about 600°C, which vaporizes the crude oil."
Since this is the temperature at which crude oil vaporizes, answer choice A is
correct.

6. Correct Answer: G
Explanation:
The best answer is G. As the passage states, "the vapors rise in the tower to
certain levels where they cool and condense, according to their chemical
structure." The condensation temperature would continuously decrease as the
vapor moves up the fractionating tower.
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