Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015091605.htm
In the Apollo mission, water was found in samples taken from the surface of the moon. Scientists believed it was a contaminant. Since then, an interesting scientific question has been whether there actually is water on the Earth’s moon. The Indian satellite Chandrayaan-1 recently discovered that there is, in fact, water on the moon. The moon’s soil is called regolith. Regolith contains oxygen in the form of hydroxyl groups (-OH). The sun’s solar wind consists of protons. Protons may be viewed as hydrogen without an electron. The solar wind is able to hit the regolith on the moon’s surface because there is no atmosphere or magnetic field to protect the moon. Upon hitting the surface of the moon, the protons combine with hydroxyl to form water, or H2O. (H+) + (-OH) = H2O. The water probably exists as a thin coating on the regolith, not as a liquid. Another interesting observation is that not all protons make it to the moon. One in five protons rebound into space and join with electrons to become hydrogen atoms.
This discovery has a major impact upon space exploration and human life. Finding water on the moon is one major factor that could make living on the moon possible. The water could also be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, which could be used as fuel for rockets in further space exploration. The oxygen could also be used to breathe. This discovery also raises the possibility that water may exist in other places not previously suspected in the universe.
This article was very well-written. It is important because it presents a new idea in that the moon is not, in fact, simply an inert rock. It seemed hard to imagine that there is actually water on the moon. Finally, it is interesting to learn the chemical reaction that creates moon water.
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1) I thought it was wise of him to mention why such a conclusion (water found on moon) had not been come to earlier, since we travelled to the moon often. I also like that he explained away such doubts that a normal reader (not familiar with the scientific literature) might have. Such as how there can be water on the moon and we cannot see it like the oceans on Earth. This is, because it is a thin layer ontop of the soil.
ReplyDeleteI also find that Andrew's coverage of how this new discovery could be beneficial very thurough and informative.
2) I did not like how he explained the way the water was formed, I found this somewhat confusing. It is necessary that one understands the makeup of oxygen atoms and hydrogen atoms, because he describes protons as hydrogen atoms without an electron. How are they still hydrogen atoms if they do not posess a electron?
I also felt the review was lacking in body. I believe there could possibly be more information on how they discovered that water did indeed form, instead of just the fact that it did.
3) From the review of the article I was able to take away a new knowledge about the moon then that it is just a bit of rock in the sky. I find this especially beneficial in my understanding of our celestial neighbor.