h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I like the subject, and the format seems fine. Perhaps you could look at these minor problems.

The most commonly known form of salt is commonly known as table salt, or sea salt. In Chemisty it is called Sodium Chloride. The use of this as a seasoning for food is known to most people, but many don't see the many uses and the importance of this tiny molecule.

[Too many 'commonly known's. Perhaps 'The most familiar known metallic salt is ...']

It is composed of a Sodium ion, the cation, its chemical symbol is Na+, which shows it has a postive charge.
[You lost me. What in this statement shows that it has a positive charge? Yes, it's the '+', but you need to say so.]


Due to its positive nature Na+ is readily attracted to a negitively ...

[negatively ...]

Alone, both sodium and chlorine, are poisinous ...

[poisonous ...]

Salt was the first garnih or additive used with food. Documation ...

[garnish is normally a visual afterthought. A better term might be 'spice'. And, you probably mean [Documentation']


The Nomads were said to have spread the use of salt westward to the european countries such as France, Holland, Spain, Italy, West Africa, South Africa, through trade. Salt was also used by Ancient Greece in trading for slaves. Europeans also brought salt on their expedition to the Americas, where it was also found in abundance, and called "white gold". Salt was also used by early native Americans in Canada and Mexico. Salt was one of the greatest economicaly important substances for many years, often used in the form of money and held as a high comodity. There are also 30 refrences made to salt in the Bible.

['spread the use of salt'? That's funny! Keep it. But, the paragraph has an awful lot of 'also's. Try re-phrasing, use an 'as well as', or simply eliminate the unnecessary ones.]

Salt has been found on Mars and it is believed that, because of its presence, life may be on Mars.

[You would be safer saying that '..., life may have existed on Mars.']

However, the body cannot manufacture salt on its own and must get it in some other way, usually by comsumption.

[Is there some other way that I am not aware of? Seriously, if there is, I'd like you to add it in here.]

Salt is a great additive to food for flavour as well as texture such as in grains to provied a uniform bread dough.

['... such as in grains to ...' what 'a uniform bread dough.'?

I don't want to seem hypercritical. Just helpful. You may not have taken the time to review the piece since you posted. Writing online causes me no end of typos and grammar problems.

Good luck with an entry that seems destined for edited entry.

>Salt has been found on Mars and it is believed that, because of its >?presence, life may be on Mars.

>[You would be safer saying that '..., life may have existed on >Mars.']

Actually I think both are good. There is constant speculation that life is on Mars and no doubt the presence of salt is used to back it up. I'd say recognition of both: "life may have existed on Mars, and perhpas might still!"

>However, the body cannot manufacture salt on its own and must get >it in some other way, usually by comsumption.

>[Is there some other way that I am not aware of? Seriously, if >there is, I'd like you to add it in here.]

Well, assuming that soncumtion refers to taking salt in trhough the mouth: i.e. eating, there are other ways. Injection is possible(saline). I do believe that there are salt pills perscribed that are not to be taken orally...if you get my gist...

>I don't want to seem hypercritical. Just helpful. You may not have >taken the time to review the piece since you posted. Writing online >causes me no end of typos and grammar problems.

>Good luck with an entry that seems destined for edited entry.

I have to agree, this is a very good entry, and is a prime target for entry!
Dave

It occurs to me that you may wish to add something about Kosher salt. Apparently, it is made by a different method, though I'm not familiar enough with it to suggest what is different.

I do have a box of Kosher salt in my kitchen, and it goes on and on about it.