Question

wind tunnels: a test of form and function look up at the sky, and you are likely to see airplanes, helicopters, and other types of aircraft soaring high above you. what you might not realize is that these aircraft all had to pass a series of tests to be considered safe enough to fly. one tool that researchers use when testing aircraft is a wind tunnel. this essential machine helps scientists improve the design of aircraft. how wind tunnels work wind tunnels are tubes that vary in size depending upon the object being tested. airplanes require huge wind tunnels. at one end of the tunnel is a fan blowing air. the fan can be set to different speeds and directions. an object is held in place in the tube, either with physical restraints or with the use of magnets. then the fan blows air around the object, creating an effect similar to flying. wind - tunnel experiments help us understand how an object reacts to different wind situations. the tests can show how wind speed and direction affect the object while taking off, flying, and landing. researchers search for hidden flaws in the design of objects such as an aircraft. to help do this, they often add smoke or colored dye to the air. then the researchers photograph how the smoke or dye moves over the object while the fans are on. which sentence from the passage best supports the inference that nasa depends heavily on the use of wind tunnels? a the wind speeds inside the tubes can also be varied. b small - scale models of aircraft are tested, along with various parts of the aircraft, such as the engine or wings c although spacecraft spend the majority of flight time in outer space, they begin their journey by lifting off through earths atmosphere. d finding design flaws can also potentially save aircraft and spacecraft from being destroyed in flight.

Explanation:

We need to find a sentence showing NASA's heavy - dependence on wind tunnels. Option B mentions that small - scale models of aircraft and parts are tested in wind tunnels. This implies that wind tunnels are a key tool for aircraft testing, which NASA would likely use for its aircraft and spacecraft projects. Other options do not directly relate to NASA's dependence on wind tunnels.

Answer:

B. Small - scale models of aircraft are tested, along with various parts of the aircraft, such as the engine or wings