Q: I read this background article the other day: The theory of plate tectonics demonstrates that the continents of the Earth are moving across the surface at the rate of a few centimeters per year. This is expected to continue, causing the plates to relocate and collide. Continental drift is facilitated by two factors: the energy generation within the planet and the presence of a hydrosphere. With the loss of either of these, continental drift will come to a halt. The production of heat through radiogenic processes is sufficient to maintain mantle convection and plate subduction for at least the next 1.1 billion years.At present, the continents of North and South America are moving westward from Africa and Europe. Researchers have produced several scenarios about how this will continue in the future. These geodynamic models can be distinguished by the subduction flux, whereby the oceanic crust moves under a continent. In the introversion model, the younger, interior, Atlantic ocean becomes preferentially subducted and the current migration of North and South America is reversed. In the extroversion model, the older, exterior, Pacific ocean remains preferentially subducted and North and South America migrate toward eastern Asia.As the understanding of geodynamics improves, these models will be subject to revision. In 2008, for example, a computer simulation was used to predict that a reorganization of the mantle convection will occur over the next 100 million years, causing a supercontinent composed of Africa, Eurasia, Australia, Antarctica and South America to form around Antarctica.Regardless of the outcome of the continental migration, the continued subduction process causes water to be transported to the mantle. After a billion years from the present, a geophysical model gives an estimate that 27% of the current ocean mass will have been subducted. If this process were to continue unmodified into the future, the subduction and release would reach an equilibrium after 65% of the current ocean mass has been subducted. I am facing a new situation today: Two friends were in college. Hank studied plate tectonics, while his buddy Alex studied Earth's atmosphere. They were both very fascinated by the subjects. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which student learned more about the continents of Earth?
A: Hank

Q: I read this background article the other day: A comet tailand comaare features visible in comets when they are illuminated by the Sun and may become visible from Earth when a comet passes through the inner Solar System. As a comet approaches the inner Solar System, solar radiation causes the volatile materials within the comet to vaporize and stream out of the nucleus, carrying dust away with them. Separate tails are formed of dust and gases, becoming visible through different phenomena; the dust reflects sunlight directly and the gases glow from ionisation. Most comets are too faint to be visible without the aid of a telescope, but a few each decade become bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. I am facing a new situation today: Stargazers across the world wait for 2020 when newly discovered very bright Neil's comet would start to pass through the inner solar system On December 21, 2020. After December 27, 2020 the comet would leave the inner solar system. Like many other enthusiasts Ken bought a telescope for the event. His friend Mike is interested in that event too, but is too busy to buy a telescope. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: On which date Neil's Comet would not be visible, December 21, 2020 or December 27, 2020?
A: December 27, 2020

Q: I read this background article the other day: Distance decay is a geographical term which describes the effect of distance on cultural or spatial interactions. The distance decay effect states that the interaction between two locales declines as the distance between them increases. Once the distance is outside of the two locales' activity space, their interactions begin to decrease. With the advent of faster travel, distance has less effect than it did in the past, except where places previously connected by now-abandoned railways, for example, have fallen off the beaten path. Advances in communications technology, such as telegraphs, telephones, broadcasting, and internet, have further decreased the effects of distance.[1] I am facing a new situation today: Chad invested massively in railways and highways over the past decade. They also funded many IT projects and telecom infrastructure. On the other hand, Bahrain invested less, and didn't do much to improve communication pathways and technologies between different villages. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which country experiences less of a cultural isolation effect?
A: Chad

Q: I read this background article the other day: When the subtropical ridge in the Northwest Pacific is stronger than normal, it leads to a wet monsoon season for Asia.[18] The subtropical ridge position is linked to how far northward monsoon moisture and thunderstorms extend into the United States. Typically, the subtropical ridge across North America migrates far enough northward to begin monsoon conditions across the Desert Southwest from July to September.[19] When the subtropical ridge is farther north than normal towards the Four Corners, monsoon thunderstorms can spread northward into Arizona. When suppressed to the south, the atmosphere dries out across the Desert Southwest, causing a break in the monsoon regime.[20] I am facing a new situation today: 2018 was a very wet year for the Four Corners area, because of the subtropical ridge, 2019, on the other hand was a dry year influenced by the same weather phenomenon that lacked strength in this year. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which month of the year was wetter, July 2018 or July 2019?
A:
July 2018