Download - Silver Iodide
Silver IodideWHAT IS IT USED FOR?MOHAMED SULTAN
What is Silver Iodide?
Silver iodide is a chemical compound that is made of silver and iodine.
It is an odorless, insoluble salt with a yellowish appearance.
How is it Formed?
Silver iodide is formed when an iodide solution
such as, potassium iodide, and a solution of
silver ions, such as silver nitrate, reacts with
each other. When this reaction occurs, a
yellowish solid quickly begins to precipitate.
Images of Silver Iodide
What is it Used For?
Silver iodide is used for many things. It is mainly used
in cloud seeding, however, it can also be used as an
antiseptic and to help produce silver-based
photography.
What is Cloud Seeding?
Cloud seeding is a technique used to deliberately modify weather.
Cloud seeding is performed either by dropping silver iodide crystals into clouds from above by air vehicles or by spraying them from below using certain machines. When the substances are dispersed into the air, they serve as cloud condensation nuclei, which causes the water vapor within the cloud to change into liquid water (i.e. rain or snow)
Images of Cloud Seeding
Effectiveness of Cloud Seeding
Although cloud seeding seems promising, it has been notorious for uncertain results. After cloud seeders have performed their job, they can never actually tell if the cloud seeding was effective or not because the cloud might have rained anyway, which is why they initially chose it.
Not only is this method fallible, but it may also be detrimental to the health of humans and the environment. Some known consequences include rain suppression, flooding, tornadoes, and silver iodide toxicity. An organization has even claimed that silver iodide is a hazardous chemical that pollutes water and soil. Also, silver iodide has been found to be highly toxic to fish, livestock and humans.