TPO 36

The article states that cloud seeding is the solution to the prevailing problem of hail in farming region and can prevent hail from affecting it. Passage provides three reasons of support. However, the professor explains that cloud seeding is not as effective as article states and refutes with all of the reasons.

First, the reading claims that silver iodide, the chemical used in cloud seeding, produces harmless rain or snow rather than hail. This does not affect the crops as hail would. However, the professor refutes the point by stating that all the tests are done under lab conditions while real conditions may vary. He further states that silver iodide can not only prevent hail, but it can also prevent snow and even rain for forming causing drought conditions in the area, so it should not be used. Drought can affect crops more than hail.

Second, the article posit that there is evidence of cloud seeding being helpful in several countries in Asia and is successful in controlling precipitation in urban areas. However, the professor says that evidence from Asia cannot be taken into consideration as it is of an urban area. The farming area in US are rural. According to professor in city area there are various other factors like pollution which mix in the atmosphere with cloud seeding to give favourable outcomes, but as there is no pollution in US Farming area this might not work.

Third, the reading describes a local study, done in a farming region in United States where cloud seeding was done. It states that the crop in that area were less damaged compared to previous years. The professor however opposes the point by stating that cloud seeding has nothing to do in this local study as the nearby areas to the study field also received less hail at that particular time, so it was all environmental change rather than the effect of cloud seeding.

Overall, according to professor all the cloud seeding experiments are done in lab rather than real environment, so they cannot be considered. Also, cloud seeding leads to more harm than good in United States farming conditions. So, it should be avoided at all cost.