Current Events 21.9.2010

Dry water a savior?
-Science Daily (Web) 26.8.2010
Site: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825174102.htm?sms_ss=blogger


Summary:
An unusual substance called Dry Water, which is made up of powdered sugar, could help store carbon dioxide and make the world more greener. It's a bright promise for several reasons. One  is that it can save energy which is used to jump start chemical reactions which are used for industry products. Ben Carter, Ph.D., researcher said there is nothing quite like it. He hopes it will be making waves. It got it's name from consisting of 95% water but still staying a power. Each droplet has been surrounded by silica, the sand on beaches. Silica prevents the water to turn into liquid, meaning it keeps it a solid. Instead if turning into a liquid, the solid slurps up gases which stay in it, just like a vacuum. This process is called hydrate. Dry water was discovered in 1968 and got it's potential use for cosmetics. Scientists found out that it can store three times as much carbon dioxide uncombined with water and silica, meaning it can save us from global warming! Scientists provided other uses such as storing methane gas and transporting it and store gas. Another use would be to mix it with hydrogen gas and maleic acid to produce succinic acid, which is used in drugs, food and livestock food. Dry water can slurp up dangerous liquids and they can be transported safely. 


One world:
The article "Dry Water a Savior?" connects to what we are studying currently by giving us information about chemical bonds and water being saved. It effects scientific knowledge by giving us a substance that can possibly save our future. Scientists are struggling to save our water and a little power can slurp it all up and keep it stored. This effects technology by making less machines and energy used. Energy can be consumed and kept for future generations or possible black outs. There is a bad side to this for some people. Machine makes and workers won't be needed hence no profit or money. This effects society as well because people can store water but it can also reduce jobs. Without machines there will be no workers in factories which later results to no money. But on the other hand people will have more water and be water friendly and environment friendly. The benefits are keeping the world green by saving water, energy and reducing harmful gases. The limitations are jobs for people and people who want profit. It will effect life drastically but hopefully there won't be a lot of people who wan't profit. 


Analysis/Evaluation:
The scientific information was creating dry water to save our planet. The article made sense because examples and quotes were put in. I made a couple of inquiries. Firstly, when water is stored how can it be put back into a liquid? Secondly, will dry water be made into someones profit? Thirdly, when can we start using dry water? Fourthly, is it harmful?


Reflection:
From this article I learned and got a different perspective on water and the earth being green. Honestly I thought we would have no way of getting out of pollution but I was wrong. Firstly, I learned that silica can make liquid stay solid. Before I thought sand was pretty useless and now it is helping us keep our planet. Secondly, I learned what dry water is. It is a substance that slurps up gases and makes energy when modified. It can be used in food and industrial products. It can also get us into poverty if our parents or we work in a factory. Thirdly, there is something to save our planet. As I said before I believed our planet would go bad but we have a chance. A chance do make our planet a clean place again. In conclusion, dry water could be our only hope in surviving. I'm afraid it will be over priced and used to make profit. We need this to keep our planet or else we won't give our future generations a chance to even be born.