Cracking the SAT Chemistry Subject Test

STRATEGY #6: AVOIDING THE TEMPTATION

TRAP

Suppose we gave this question to a seven-year-old:

27. Which of the following best expresses the effect of Gibbs free
    energy on the spontaneity of a chemical reaction?
    (A) When Gibbs free energy is negative, the reaction
    proceeds spontaneously in the forward direction.
    (B) When Gibbs free energy is negative, the reaction
    proceeds spontaneously in the reverse direction.
    (C) George Washington was the first president of the United
    States.
    (D) Gibbs free energy affects the spontaneity only of
    exothermic reactions.
    (E) Gibbs free energy affects the spontaneity only of
    endothermic reactions.

The child won’t know what any of this means, but she will probably know that
George Washington was the first president. So she’ll choose C; it’s something
she knows. She fell into the “temptation trap.” The test writer stuck something
into the answer choices that was familiar to the student; it was so familiar that
the student chose it although it has nothing to do with the question.

Truth   Isn’t   Always  Right

Although    answer  choice

(C) is  a   true    statement,  it

doesn’t answer  the question

that’s  being   asked.

That’s  how ETS traps   you.

Make    sure    you’re  always

answering   the question

posed   on  the test.

What’s That Got to Do with Me and the SAT Chemistry Subject

Test?