Digital SAT Reading and Writing Practice Question #241

The Namib Desert beetle survives in incredibly arid environments by harvesting water directly from the morning fog. The beetle's outer shell is covered in microscopic, hydrophilic (water-attracting) bumps that are surrounded by smooth, hydrophobic (water-repelling) valleys. Water droplets from the fog accumulate on the hydrophilic bumps until they grow large enough to overcome the binding forces. Once they reach critical mass, the droplets detach and roll swiftly down the hydrophobic valleys directly into the beetle's mouth. Inspired by this mechanism, materials scientists have recently developed a synthetic fog-harvesting surface meant to maximize water collection in drought-stricken regions. Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the conclusion that the synthetic material successfully mimics the functional mechanics of the Namib Desert beetle's shell?