North Dakota has the highest residential energy consumption, per capita, of any state in the US. New York's consumption is 47th on the list. Given that New York has a larger population, which choice offers one possible explanation for this difference? A New York's large urban populations are denser, which makes heating costs lower per capita. B North Dakota has a mostly rural population, and this makes heating and cooling costs higher. C New York uses large amounts of energy gathered from wind, solar, and other renewable sources. D North Dakota's winters are harsher than New York's, which drives up heating costs per capita.

Answer 1

The most fitting explanation for the difference in residential energy consumption per capita between North Dakota and New York is D: North Dakota's winters are harsher than New York's, which drives up heating costs per capita.

This option directly addresses how the climate impacts energy consumption. North Dakota experiences extremely cold winters, leading to higher residential heating needs, whereas New York, despite having significant urban areas that can affect energy use, generally has milder winters compared to North Dakota. The other options, while they touch on relevant factors, do not directly explain why North Dakota would have higher per capita energy consumption when taking into account the extreme weather conditions prevalent in that state.