Concerning the connection between electricity and magnetism, the author of the passage takes the opinion that:
Show Hint
- It is surprising that Oersted was the first to articulate it
- The scientific community should have observed it sooner
- Oersted was lucky to stumble upon an illustration of it
- Scientific progress was waylaid severely before it was found
- Some forgotten scientist likely found it before Oersted did
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks about the author's point of view regarding the historical context of Oersted's discovery. We need to identify the author's opinion as expressed in the passage, particularly in the first paragraph.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The author begins by stating that "Many writers have expressed surprise" that no one saw the effect for twenty years, despite the necessary equipment (voltaic cells, compasses) being common. The author then reinforces this by saying, "The surprise is still greater when one realizes that many of the contemporary natural philosophers were firmly persuaded... that there must be a connection." This indicates the author believes all the necessary components for the discovery—the equipment, the personnel, and even the theoretical expectation—were in place long before the discovery was actually made.
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{(A) It is surprising that Oersted was the first...: The author's surprise is not about Oersted specifically, but about the twenty-year delay in general. } \\ \bullet & \text{(B) The scientific community should have observed it sooner: This option perfectly summarizes the author's viewpoint. The tone of surprise and the listing of reasons why it should have been found (common equipment, theoretical belief) strongly imply that the author feels the scientific community missed something obvious. } \\ \bullet & \text{(C) Oersted was lucky to stumble upon...: The passage states Oersted had been "seeking electromagnetic relationships more or less deliberately for several years," which contradicts the idea that he was merely lucky. } \\ \bullet & \text{(D) Scientific progress was waylaid severely...: While there was a delay, "waylaid severely" might be too strong an interpretation of the author's tone, which is more one of puzzlement than of harsh criticism. Option (B) is more precise. } \\ \bullet & \text{(E) Some forgotten scientist likely found it before...: This is pure speculation and is not mentioned or implied by the author at all. } \\ \end{array}\]
Step 3: Final Answer:
The author's repeated expressions of surprise about the "twenty-year delay," given the context, clearly indicate the opinion that the discovery was overdue and that the scientific community should have made the observation earlier.
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