The man who proved the moon isn’t cheese

Meet Emeritus Professor Ross Taylor AC, the Australian who analyzed the first moon rock samples in 1969, in Volume 46 Number 4 of the ANUreporter,

"With emission spectroscopy you can put a tiny amount of material into the flame and quickly identify any of 70 different elements from the spectral lines they produce. But those 70 elements could produce 100,000 possible lines," he says.
At 11.45am on 28 July, Taylor received the first samples. By 4pm, he delivered preliminary results to a press conference - significantly faster than the usual scientific process and with much more at stake.
The high-speed analysis had not been without hiccups. Taylor almost missed one of the most significant traits of the moon's chemistry, its significantly lower sodium levels than Earth.
The moon is also rich in chromium, which has a spectral line that almost perfectly disguised the low sodium result. Only moments before the press conference Taylor realised the mistake and corrected it.
"It would have ruined my reputation," he says.

Reference:
The man who proved the moon isn't cheese

Further Reading:
http://www.ausetute.com.au/emissions.html 
http://www.ausetute.com.au/flametest.html

Suggested Study Questions
1/ What is an emission spectrum?
2/ How can you produce the emission spectrum of metallic elements at school?
3/ How is the emission spectrum of an element used to confirm the existence of energy levels in atomic structure?
4/ What is a flame test?
5/ How does a flame test differ from emission spectroscopy?
6/ How is a flame test similar to emission spectroscopy?
7/ "With emission spectroscopy you can put a tiny amount of material into the flame and quickly identify any of 70 different elements from the spectral lines they produce." 
Explain how emission spectroscopy can be used to identify different elements.
8/ "But those 70 elements could produce 100,000 possible lines,"
Explain how such a huge number of lines can be produced from what seems like a much smaller number of elements.
9/ "The moon is also rich in chromium, which has a spectral line that almost perfectly disguised the low sodium result"
Explain how a chromium spectral line could disguise the low sodium result.
10/ Imagine you have helped Emeritus Professor Ross Taylor AC analyse these moon rock samples. Produce a scientific poster to communicate the results of this experiment to your class.