A 2023 paper examined four solar-cell materials' efficiency at standard test conditions and after 5 years of outdoor weathering: Material I, 22% (initial), 19% (5 yr); II, 21%, 20%; III, 25%, 14%; IV, 19%, 18.5%. The team argued that for long-term real-world deployment, the <em>highest initial efficiency</em> is a misleading guide; what matters is degradation rate. The data most uniquely supporting this is ______
Which choice most logically completes the text using the data above?
- A
Material III's highest initial efficiency of 25%.
- B
the average efficiency across materials.
- C
Material I's initial efficiency of 22%.
- Dcheck_circle
Material III's 25% initial drops to 14% after 5 years (an 11-point loss), while Material IV's 19% initial drops only to 18.5%—a 0.5-point loss; the highest initial performer is the worst long-term performer.
Explanation
The claim is that initial efficiency misleads about long-term performance. Choice B uniquely captures the rank reversal: III leads initially but lags after weathering, while IV is opposite. Choice A actually supports the rejected "highest initial" view.