The Promising Field of High Pressure Research

 

Subjecting materials to high pressure greatly changes their properties. When compressed under more than 500,000 pounds per square inch ordinary liquids become solids. Gases become liquids. Some rocks stretch like rubber. Insulating materials begin to conduct electricity. Water freezes at room temperature into dense heavy cubes which explode violently when the pressure is suddenly released.

The most interesting discovery in connection with high pressure research is the artificial conversion of graphite to diamonds.

The interior of the earth itself is a high-pressure laboratory. The pressure at the centre of the earth is estimated to be 3,000 kilobars. Graphite subjected to the tremendous heat and pressure generated deep below the earth's surface turns to diamond in the course of thousands or, perhaps, millions of years. Today total output of synthetic diamonds in the world amounts to several tons annually.

Metals become increasingly conductive under high pressures. This has led some scientists to suggest that increasingly high pressures might cause some metals to become superconductive at room temperature. Superconductivity, the complete absence of electrical resistance, has numerous potential scientific applications, but can now be obtained only at extremely low temperatures close to absolute zero (minus 459 degrees F.).

High-pressure research together with other observations may lead to answer for some of the most basic science questions, among them the question of the origin of solar system and how life began within it.

1. Выберите правильный ответ на вопрос:

 

L. What happens with gases under pressure?

a. Gases become liquids

b. Gases become solids

c. Gases become air

d. Gases dissolve

 

What is superconductivity?

a. It’s a partial absence of electrical resistance

b. It’s a complete absence of electrical current

c. It’s a complete absence of electrical resistance

d. It’s a complete presence of electrical resistance

 

2. Выберите предложения, соответствующие тексту:

 

1. Subjecting materials to low pressure doesn’t change their properties much.

2. The interior of the earth itself is a high-pressure laboratory.

3. Metals become increasingly conductive under high pressures.

4. Increasingly high pressures can’t cause any metals to become superconductive at room temperature.

5. Superconductivity has numerous potential scientific applications.

ЛЕКСИКА

1. Переведите с английского на русский:

 

To test new equipment

a. проверять старое оборудование

b. проверять новое оборудование

c. проверять качество

d. проверять новое изобретение

 

Negligible progress

a. незначительный прогресс

b. незначительный регресс

c. незначительный процесс

d. важный прогресс

 

Reliable sources of information

a. важные источники информации

b. надежные средства информации

c. ненадежные источники информации

d. надежные источники информации

 

To drag along the road

a. съехать с дороги

b. мчаться по дороге

c.тащиться по дороге

d. ехать по дороге

 

To convert work into energy

a. преобразовать работу энергии

b. заменить работу на энергию

c. преобразовать энергию в работу

d. преобразовать работу в энергию

2. Выберите правильный вариант:

 

Огромный груз

a. a big cargo

b. a small cargo

c. a huge cargo

d. a wide cargo

 

Защищать детей

a. to protect nature

b. to protect parents

c. to educate children

d. to protect children

 

Быстрое сгорание

a. rapid combustion

b. rapid heating

c. quick burning

d. rapid burning

 

Заряженный электричеством

a. loaded with electricity

b. charged with electricity

c. uncharged with electricity

d. charged without current

 

Решать вопрос

a. solve the question

b. solve the task

c. to settle the question

d. decide the question

 

3. Выберите правильный вариант:

 

A period of hundred years

a. age

b. epoch

c. century

d. millennium