Allison Cane September 24, 2009
Chemistry Current Events
CHANG, KENNETH. “In Surprise, Moon Shows Signs of Water” New York Times
September 23, 2009
< http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/science/space/24moon.html?_r=1&ref=science>
Three spacecrafts have indicated signs of water on the moon. Although it is not the kind of water we are used to, it is called hydroxyl. This is a molecule made up of one hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom, as apposed to two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The moon has always been thought of as a dry planet, even ice cold on the dark side. But where there are permanently shadowed craters, by the poles of the moon, there have been signs of hydrogen, according to NASA. If there is water on the moon, that could make future settlement of the Moon easier. Oxygen is a key component for breathable air for astronauts, and hydrogen and oxygen could also possibly be used for rocket fuel and power generation. Similar discoveries were made decades ago on other missions, but were written off as accidents. The thought is that water is being created when protons from the solar wind slam into the lunar surface.
This discovery, written about in this article, really does mean a lot to the future history of humanity. If there is water on the moon, this means that living beings can survive on it. We could, in the future, start to settle on the moon, and do further experiments to gather information about it. If there is oxygen, which is need to make the air, then there is breathable air for astronauts and future humans. Also if there is hydrogen + oxygen it can be used for rocket fuel or power generation. Breathable air, power generation, water, and fuel are all very important components to a civilization. This discovery also impacts humanity because if we have just found water on the moon, then we could have missed other living things on other planets. We need to explore more, and be open to any idea.
I liked this article a lot. It was interesting, because I didn’t know, along with many others, that there was water on the moon, or that we had previously found water on the moon, and passed it up. Also it did not wonder off into other, unneeded, ideas. In a lot of other articles, the will go off rambling about confusing and unneeded details, or stories. It stayed right to the point and told the reader all of the details that were needed. The only thing I would change about this article is that it did not illustrate how water is made with a modified number of molecules of hydrogen, I always thought that water was only made with a 2:1 ratio of hydrogen and oxygen.
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I read Allison’s review of the article titled, “In Surprise, Moon Shows Signs of Water.” This article was about the possible discovery of water on the moon, which could alter our life or the future. This article provided a lot of new information and was a great choice of an article to review. The terminology was very well presented as the average person could understand what the review was saying. I also enjoyed the way Allison explained everything that was mentioned in the article, adding some background information and other facts to do with the subject of the article. The first sentence was precise and did not need an introduction, making the article short and to the point.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I would suggest to make the article better is to try to reread and see if you repeat any statements because I felt like I read some things more than once. I would also suggest trying to organize a little better because some things about hydrogen and oxygen were at one point in the article, and then other information was towards the end of the article and this should be tried to put together.
I was impressed by this article because it was written very well and did not wonder off to talk about other things than the article which this review was written about. I learned that there might be water on the moon, which could change the future of humanity forever, especially now with the threat of global warming and the myth of December 21, 2012.
Overall, I think Allison’s review of “In Surprise, Moon Shows Signs of Water” was very good. I liked how she made the article easy for others to understand. At the same time she used some science terms that make the reader feel smarter (I know I do). Also, she was able to keep the reader’s interest. On the other hand, though, the review was a little jumbled, it could be a bit more organized. Also, it doesn’t flow well. One thing I learned is there might be life on the moon. (I have been found out!)
ReplyDeleteAllison's review was overall good. She made the article very clear, explaining everything. She did an especially good job on explaining how the water on the moon was different from ondinary water. Allison also did a good job explaining why she found the article interesting. However, the review had its bad points. Allison didn't do such a good job explaining how the water would be helpful too humans - this section jumps off into benefits of oxygen and hydrogen without fully discussing the benefits of the water itself. Also, at one point she refers to the moon as a planet, which it is not.
ReplyDeleteI think that the part about the composition of "moon water" being different is interesting. It would be useful to know if this "moon water" has different properties than "Earth water" because of its composition
Allisons article "In Surprise, Moon Shows Signs of Water" was very clear and gave a good understanding of what it is about. Allison wrote the most important aspects of the article which I liked. One more thing Allison did that was very good was how she made it extremely clear that the water on the moon is different than ordinary. The review also has some points which could be helped. One thing that Allison could have done better was the organization part she could have put it in a better order. Also, I felt as though she was repeating a few things over again which means she could have re-read it a bit more. I am very curious to find out more about the water on the moon and if actually means life could be on the moon.
ReplyDelete