Skipping Stones - Marvel Education

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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #49362 Skipping Stones

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When physicist Lydéric Bocquet’s 7-year-old son asked him why a good throw makes a stone skip on a lake instead of , Bocquet took the question as a challenge. He has now produced a set of equations explaining the physics underlying the popular pastime. Two key forces act on a skipping stone: gravity, which pulls it down, and lift, the reactive force of the water, which pushes the stone up each time it hits the . If the lift force is greater than the force of gravity then the stone bounces up; otherwise it sinks. Bocquet’s physical model out the conventional wisdom that the best skipping stones are flat and should be hurled nearly parallel to the water, fast and spinning. The stone’s flatness maximizes the lift, as does its speed, which also provides energy to keep it bouncing along. These are the same factors that keep a water-skier from sinking, Bocquet says. Spin prevents the stone from tilting and hitting the water edge-first, just as fast rotations a bicycle or a spinning top.

Result:

A.I. Explanation:

Correct answer: sinking
Explanation: The word 'sinking' fits grammatically as it is a gerund that serves as the object of the preposition 'instead of,' indicating an action that is being contrasted with 'skipping.' Contextually, it makes sense as it describes what typically happens to a stone when it is thrown without the right technique.
Meaning: 'Sinking' means to go down below the surface of a liquid, which is the opposite of skipping on water.
Wrong options:
plunking: Plunking refers to a heavy, dull sound made when something falls into water, which does not fit the context of the stone's action in this scenario.
debunking: Debunking means to expose the falseness of a belief or idea, which is unrelated to the physical action of a stone in water.
hiking: Hiking refers to walking or trekking, which is not relevant to the context of a stone's behavior on water.
Correct answer: surface
Explanation: The word 'surface' is the correct choice as it refers to the top layer of the water where the stone interacts. It fits grammatically as a noun that completes the phrase 'hits the __,' and contextually, it describes the physical interaction between the stone and the water.
Meaning: 'Surface' means the outermost layer or boundary of an object, in this case, the top of the water.
Wrong options:
efface: Efface means to erase or remove something, which does not relate to the physical interaction of the stone with the water.
preface: Preface refers to an introduction to a book or speech, which is not relevant to the context of the stone's action.
boldface: Boldface refers to a type of font style, which is unrelated to the physical action of a stone on water.
Correct answer: bears
Explanation: The word 'bears' is the correct answer as it is a verb that indicates the model supports or confirms the conventional wisdom. It fits grammatically in the present tense and contextually aligns with the idea of the model providing evidence for a claim.
Meaning: 'Bears' means to support or carry, indicating that Bocquet's model supports the idea about skipping stones.
Wrong options:
hears: Hears is a verb that means to perceive sound, which does not fit the context of providing evidence or support.
tears: Tears is a verb that means to rip or pull apart, which is not relevant to the context of supporting a theory.
fears: Fears is a verb that means to be afraid of something, which does not relate to the context of confirming a scientific principle.
Correct answer: stabilize
Explanation: The word 'stabilize' is the correct choice as it describes the action of making something stable. It fits grammatically as a verb that completes the phrase 'fast rotations __ a bicycle,' and contextually, it relates to how rotation helps maintain balance.
Meaning: 'Stabilize' means to make something steady or secure, which is relevant to how rotation affects balance in bicycles and spinning tops.
Wrong options:
commercialize: Commercialize means to manage or exploit something for profit, which does not fit the context of stability in motion.
nationalize: Nationalize means to transfer ownership to the government, which is unrelated to the concept of stability in physical motion.
fertilize: Fertilize refers to adding nutrients to soil, which is not relevant to the context of maintaining balance.

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