When Ansell's mole rats, a subterranean species, are housed in circular arenas in a laboratory, they reliably and spontaneously build their nests in the southeastern sector of the arena. When the researchers reversed the polarity of the moles' magnetic field by reversing the direction of current flow through a Helmholtz coil, the moles
A) began to build nests in the northwest sector of the arena.
B) began to build nests throughout the entire area of the arena.
C) quit building nests entirely.
D) were unaffected and continued building nests in the southeastern sector.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ansell's mole rats rely on the Earth's magnetic field to orient themselves and decide where to build their nests. When researchers reversed the magnetic field's polarity, the mole rats adjusted their behavior to align with the new magnetic cues, leading them to build nests in the northwest sector, which would have been the southeastern sector under the natural magnetic field orientation.

When Ansell's Mole Rats, a Subterranean Species, Are Housed in Circular