THE Beijing Olympics it has everything to be the most modern of all times, the Chinese are investing a lot, more than $40 billion. But among so many refinements there is a very simple factor that is not in the repertoire: rain. She's a godsend to everyone, but she's not welcome at the Olympics.
The Olympic Games in Beijing will take place in August, and at this time it rains a lot in China, and some of the venues for the games are not covered like the wonderful National Stadium. The probability that a foot of water will occur on the opening day of the games is 47%, according to meteorologists.
We have to admit that Chinese technology is very advanced and against bad weather scientists have already designed everything. Check out the steps of the highest technology that will be used to make the games in Beijing the most beautiful of all times:
1. monitoring: A very sophisticated network has been set up to accurately monitor the weather: that's the scheme High Tech (high tech). The largest weather forecasting system ever built features:
2. Interruption: If the possibility of rain is detected, a fleet with 30 planes will fire to release silver iodide into the clouds. Silver iodide is a catalyst used to accelerate the reaction, it attracts water droplets present in the clouds forming ice crystals, the clouds get heavier and fall as rain.
Since the scientists' intention is to empty the clouds before they reach cities, silver iodide causes the chemical reaction that makes it rain.
3. Chemical attack: If the shutdown procedure does not work and the rain is not dissipated by the planes, a more radical step begins, rocket launchers will shoot liquid nitrogen cartridges into the clouds, these cartridges are the size of a vial of deodorant.
With the clouds getting closer and closer, only this alternative will remain: nitrogen has the property to make the water droplets smaller, so the water remains in suspension and does not fall in the form of rain.
The Chinese guarantee that the scheme High Tech it will stop light and medium rains, but not the heaviest ones. It is to wait and check if the Olympics in Beijing it will be unforgettable for its beauty and technology!
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
By Líria Alves
Graduated in Chemistry
See more:
Pollution X Rain in China
How rain helps purify one of the most polluted atmospheres in the world.
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Líria Alves de. "Will it rain during the Beijing Olympics?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/vai-chover-durante-os-jogos-olimpicos-pequim.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
