Clouds are formed from the evaporation of the oceans’ water that is warmed by the sun and rises high into the atmosphere, condensing in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust.
A. Clouds are formed from the evaporation of the oceans’ water that is warmed by the sun and rises high into the atmosphere, condensing in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust.
B. Clouds form by the sun’s warmth evaporating the water in the oceans, which rises high into the atmosphere, condensing in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust.
C. Warmed by the sun, ocean water evaporates, rises high into the atmosphere, and condenses in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust to form clouds.
D. The water in the oceans evaporates, warmed by the sun, rises high into the atmosphere, and condenses in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust, which forms clouds.
E. Ocean water, warmed by the sun, evaporates and rises high into the atmosphere, which then condenses in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust to form as clouds.
In-depth Explanation and Correct Answer Below (so you don’t see it while reviewing the question)
Clouds are formed from the evaporation… Explanation
Clouds are formed from the evaporation of the oceans’ water that is warmed by the Sun and rises high into the atmosphere, condensing in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust.
(A) Clouds are formed from the evaporation of the oceans’ water that is warmed by the Sun and rises high into the atmosphere, condensing in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust.
The meaning is off. It seems that “the evaporation of the oceans’ water” is “warmed by the sun”. It should be that the water is warmed by the sun and so evaporates. Parallelism is off.
Clouds are formed from the evaporation of the oceans’ water
-That is warmed
-Rises (missing a that)
(B) Clouds form by the Sun’s warmth evaporating the water in the oceans, which rises high into the atmosphere, condensing in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust.
It’s not the ocean which rises high into the atmosphere. Even if that were OK there’s a subject verb agreement issue. Oceans RISE.
(C) Warmed by the Sun, ocean water evaporates, rises high into the atmosphere, and condenses in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust to form clouds.
Ocean water:
Evaporates
Rises
Condenses
(D) The water in the oceans evaporates, warmed by the Sun, rises high into the atmosphere, and condenses in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust, which forms clouds.
Subject verb agreement. Particles FORM. Also, “warmed by the sun” is a key component of the sentence. It’s a part of the process of cloud formation.
It shouldn’t be encased by commas. That indicates that it’s a non-essential part of the sentence.
(E) Ocean water, warmed by the Sun, evaporates and rises high into the atmosphere, which then condenses in tiny droplets on minute particles of dust to form as clouds.
It’s the not the atmosphere that condenses in tiny droplets.
Correct Answer: C
For some SC guidance, here’s a link to a breakdown of GMAT sentence correction.