Researchers have discovered a new planet, Planet Z. This planet is orbited by several comets, A, B, C and D. Researchers have calculated the time it takes each comet to orbit Planet Z, the closest the comet gets to Planet Z and the diameter of the comet.

If the researchers wanted to visit Planet Z to conduct further researcher, where is the best location to set up a space station in millions of miles from Planet Z's surface? The space station is to be located at the point where all comets reach there minimum distance to Planet Z. 

Scientists have recorded data in Region A, Region B, Region C and Region D. The data collected include the average daily temperature, the annual rainfall for the past year and the number of fresh water reservoirs. The scientists want to perform an experiment on wild life migration patterns.

Which of the regions most probably represents a desert? 

A scientist is studying the makeup of a crossection of the ground on a plot of land on the Pacific coast. The cross-section is as follows:

The line noted by the X marks earth that was on the surface approximately 20,000 years ago. The law of superposition states that, in cross-sections of the Earth's crust, layers that are closer to the center of the Earth are older than those that are farther away. 

Layer B is found to be made of limestone. Limestone is largely made up of the skeletons and fossils of coral. What can we infer happened in the last 20,000 years with regards to that layer?

In a specific region, a scientist recorded the rainfall, in inches, during the months of May, June, July and August. The scientist recorded this data in the same spot each month over four years. The purpose of this study was to see how the new factories built in the area impacted the rainfall in that location. 

What are the potential impacts if the trend in rainfall continues? 

One night there was a meteor shower and scientists in four different regions, A, B, C and D, observed and counted the number of meteors seen. The scientists noted the duration of the meteor shower and the visibility of the stars. 

What is the relationship be the number of meteors seen and the duration of the meteor shower? 

One night there was a meteor shower and scientists in four different regions, A, B, C and D, observed and counted the number of meteors seen. The scientists noted the duration of the meteor shower and the visibility of the stars. 

In which of the regions is there the least amount of light pollution? 

Researchers are curious about the effects of large amounts of steam released by a power plant. They hypothesize that the large amounts of moisture might affect precipitation in the area. They record yearly rainfall at multiple locations at various distances from the power plant and find the results below:

How many inches of rainfall would you expect a farm  from the power plant to get in the year 2000?

Explorers have discovered a new planet, Planet K. It is known that Planet K has magnetic poles to similar to those of Earth, so the explorers decide that using a compass to navigate is possible. When navigating Planet K's surface, it is discovered that the compass points north for a distance then flips so that it points north in the opposite direction for a distance, before returning to pointing north in the original direction. It is known that the magnetic poles of the planet flip every 100 years. Weather is recorded on the planet for 250 years. 

If the explorers are scouting planets for humans to live on, is Planet K a good planet for humans to settle on? Why?

Explorers have discovered a new planet, Planet K. It is known that Planet K has magnetic poles to similar to those of Earth, so the explorers decide that using a compass to navigate is possible. When navigating Planet K's surface, it is discovered that the compass points north for a distance then flips so that it points north in the opposite direction for a distance, before returning to pointing north in the original direction. It is known that the magnetic poles of the planet flip every 100 years. Weather is recorded on the planet for 250 years. 

If the compass cannot be utilized to navigate on Planet K, in what other ways can the explorers navigate the planet? 

Scientists have long debated the origin of organic molecules on Earth. Organic molecules are those based on the atom carbon, which can form four distinct bonds in contrast to the fewer number allowed in most other non-metals. As a result of this property, carbon can give rise to the enormously complex molecular shapes necessary for life to arise.

Some scientists argue that organic matter was dissolved in water ice on comets, and brought to Earth early in its history. These comets crashed into the early Earth, and deposited carbon-based molecules in copious quantities to the Earth’s surface as their water melted.

In 2014, the first space probe landed on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Suppose that scientists find the following information from 5 distinct samples after landing on the comet. Each sample was taken at a single geographical location, but 5 meters deeper than the last. Sample 1 was taken at a depth of 1 meter below the surface.

These samples were compared to 5 similar samples from the surface of Mars. Scientists posited that this comparison would be meaningful because we know that life does not exist on Mars the same way that it does on Earth. Thus, they are comparing a known non-biological celestial body, Mars, with another celestial body, the comet, which may be seeding life on suitable plants.

The purpose of the sample from Mars as described in the passage is most likely to act as: