A scientist measured the water content of leaves from two different groups of oak trees on three different summer days. One group of leaves, the T group, came from trees that had been defoliated by gypsy moths the previous year. The other leaves, the C group, came from trees which had not been defoliated. The results, in milliliters of water per gram of dry weight, are shown in the table below.
.............June 10 June 30 July 28
T Group 26.8..... 20.4..... 12.7
C Group 32.5.... 28.7...... 22.7
(A) C leaves typically contain more water than do T leaves
(B) Both C and T leaves show declines in water content as the summer goes on.
(C) T leaves show greater declines in water content than do C leaves.
(D) Defoliation by gypsy moths has no effect on the water content of next year’s leaves.
(E) Differences in the water content between C and T leaves grow greater as the summer goes on
Answer: D
.............June 10 June 30 July 28
T Group 26.8..... 20.4..... 12.7
C Group 32.5.... 28.7...... 22.7
All of the following are valid interpretations of these data EXCEPT:
(A) C leaves typically contain more water than do T leaves
(B) Both C and T leaves show declines in water content as the summer goes on.
(C) T leaves show greater declines in water content than do C leaves.
(D) Defoliation by gypsy moths has no effect on the water content of next year’s leaves.
(E) Differences in the water content between C and T leaves grow greater as the summer goes on
Answer: D