LSAT 2 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q6

LR Question 6 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Although this bottle is labeled “vinegar”, no fizzing occurred…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The bottle has been mislabeled.

REASONING: Vinegar normally produces fizz when added to baking soda. When liquid from the bottle labeled vinegar was added to powder labeled baking soda, nothing happened.

ANALYSIS: I can think of many alternate explanations. Perhaps the bottle once contained vinegar but someone replaced it with water. Or perhaps the powder was not baking soda. Though it is possible that the bottle was mislabeled, we cannot be certain.

___________

1. The stimulus claims that any acidic liquid would produce fizz. Therefore it’s certain that there was no acidic liquid in the bottle. (assuming the powder was actually baking soda)
2. CORRECT. This answer choice may be too abstractly worded for some people’s taste, but it is correct. There are many alternate explanations apart from mislabeling. The stimulus ought to have excluded them.
3. Everyone knows what fizz means. Just because it sounds funny doesn’t mean it is imprecise.
4. This is pedantic and elitist. You can test science in your backyard or house. You don’t need an IQ of 150 or a lab coat. Anyone can do it if they use the right method.
5. The stimulus does not say anything about why the bottle was mislabeled.

Recap: The question begins with “Although this bottle is labeled “vinegar”, no fizzing occurred”. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flaw questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.