This works great for a farmer who needs rain. There is a problem however. The water that was made to rain onto the fields in one location, probably would have rained somewhere else at a later date. But since it rained over the field the airplane flew over, there is not enough water in the air for it to rain over the fields it would have otherwise.
Sam has heard about this new technique to make it rain over his fields. He wants to use this technique to help his crops grow. He has hired an airplane to fly over his fields and drop small particles in the air for the water to collect on and form clouds. He hopes that this new technique will make it rain more over his fields and make his crops grow.
Sally has been farming the fields next to Sam and has become good friends with Sam and his family. Sally has had more rain than Sam this year. Her crops could still use some rain but they are not nearly as bad as Sam's.
Sally has heard of Sam's plans to hire an airplane to make more clouds and rain over his fields. Sally is worried that if Sam is successful with his plan to make it rain over his fields, that there will not be enough moisture in the air and clouds to provide rain for her fields. Although Sally is very concerned for Sam and his families problems because of the extreme drought, she is also concerned about maintaining the quality of her crops so that she can sell them at harvest time to the market.
Ask the class what they think. Should Sam use the airplane to try to make clouds and rain over his fields? Is this fair to Sally and her crops? Is Sam stealing rain from Sally? Is there any way that Sally and Sam can solve their problems while still remaining friends?