Final answer:
Paragraph 9 highlights the advantages of atomic clocks over quartz clocks by comparing their capabilities and emphasizing atomic clocks' accuracy and ability to adjust for time dilation, crucial for spacecraft distance measurements and GPS technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The information in paragraph 9 serves to refine the central idea that atomic clocks are superior to quartz clocks for determining a spacecraft's distance from Earth. Specifically, the answer to how paragraph 9 refines this idea is option D: It sets up a compare-and-contrast scenario that shows why atomic clocks are better than quartz clocks. This compares the capabilities of atomic clocks in terms of their precision and ability to account for time dilation effects due to gravity, which is crucial for applications such as GPS technology. Atomic clocks leverage the predictable oscillations of atoms like cesium, allowing them to keep time with remarkable accuracy and adjust for the relativistic effects observed in high-flying aircraft and satellites.