Question

When British explorer Sir John Ross encountered Inuit Greenlanders wielding iron tools in 1818, he was mystified; after all, they did not have the technology to extract iron from ore. They told Ross that their iron source was a saviksoah—an "iron mountain"—but refused to disclose its location. Scientists back in Britain partially solved the puzzle by analyzing some of the tools and determining that they likely came from a meteorite. Subsequently, several other explorers attempted, and failed, to confirm the source's existence. In 1894, however, American explorer Robert Peary had better luck. The Inuits were now obtaining iron through trade; they no longer needed the iron mountain and were willing to reveal it. A guide led Peary to three meteorites, which are currently housed in New York's American Museum of Natural History. The most massive, called Ahnighito, weighs thirty tons and is the largest meteorite in any museum.

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

Answer 1

The passage's main idea is the historical use and scientific significance of meteorites as a source of iron and as a tool for understanding the solar system.

Step-by-step explanation:

The central idea of the passage is the discovery and historical significance of meteorites and their contributions to human understanding, particularly how they have served as a source of iron for various cultures prior to the development of iron smelting technology. The passage describes how the British explorer Sir John Ross learnt of an "iron mountain" from the Inuit in Greenland, which later turned out to be a meteorite. American explorer Robert Peary, guided by the Inuits, located the meteorites which now reside in the American Museum of Natural History. Other details in the passage highlight the importance of meteorites in different cultures and regions, and how they are studied to learn about the origin of the solar system and the formation of organic molecules.