The Allende Meteorite Contained an Abundance of ²⁶Mg, an Isotope

question 133

Multiple Choice

The Allende meteorite contained an abundance of ²⁶Mg, an isotope of magnesium. ²⁶Mg is the stable product of the decay of radioactive ²⁶Al. What is the significance?

• A) Magnesium has a high melting point, so the asteroid of which Allende was originally a part must have formed in the inner part of the solar system.
• B) ( The decay of ²⁶Al would have produced enough radioactivity to cause the melting and differentiation of the Allende meteoroid.)
• C) The ²⁶Al from which the ²⁶Mg formed was probably produced in a nearby supernova explosion about the time the solar system was formed.
• D) This discovery suggests that heavy elements such as magnesium were more abundant in the early Kuiper belt than originally thought.

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Definitions:

Theoretical Perspective

A framework or approach to understanding and explaining various phenomena within a certain field of study.

Observable Behavior

Actions or reactions of an organism or system that can be seen and measured directly, rather than inferred through internal processes.

Outside Stimuli

External factors or influences that can elicit a response or reaction from an organism or system.

Behavioral Perspective

The approach suggesting that the keys to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment.