Read the text and answer the questions in your own words.

1. How did Faraday get his education?

2. What was Faraday's second job?

3. Why did Faraday experiment with glass?

4. How did Maxwell assist Faraday?

5. How were Faraday's achievements recognised?

Michael Faraday

1. Майкл Фарадей был из бедной семьи. Он вынужден был заниматься самообразованием, т. к. не имел возможности получить хорошее школьное образование.

2. Майкл вынужден был много работать, чтобы обеспечить себя. Он даже подумывал оставить занятие наукой.

3. Когда Фарадей работал помощником Деви, он построил униполярный электродвигатель.

4. Фарадей никогда не был силён в математике и поэтому сотрудничал с Максвеллом.

5. Фарадею удалось создать устройство для перемещения магнита через витки провода и таким образом получить электрический ток.

6. Закон индукции Фарадея является основой электромагнетизма и современных технологий.

7. Фарадей открыл как способ производства электричества, так и способ его использования.

Вариант 9

Match these words with their definition.

1. subatomic a. part of an atom which has no charge

2. electron b. two or more atoms

3. neutron c. smaller than an atom

4. molecule d. part of an atom that has a negative charge

5. proton e. a theory developed by physicists to explain the atom

6. quantum mechanics f. part of an atom which has a positive charge

7. carbon g. pulled together

8. attracted h. a chemical element

9. helium i. a chemical element that is lighter than air

10. universe j. the whole cosmos

The atom

The ancient Greeks coined the term atomos, meaning the smallest possible separation of matter. In ancient times, both the Greeks and Indians had philosophised about the existence of the atom but, as mentioned in unit 6, it was first hypothesised scientifically by the British chemist John Dalton (1766-1844) in the early years of the 19 century, when he suggested it was the smallest particle that could exist. Since then, smaller subatomic particles have been discovered and the part they play as the basic building blocks of the universe is clear. We now know that atoms are made up of differing numbers of electrons, neutrons and protons, and these too are made up of even smaller particles.

Dalton's theory about atoms was not immediately accepted by chemists, though one reason for this was Dalton's well-known carelessness in experimental procedures. However, we know now that Dalton was correct in almost everything he said in his theory of the atom. He described an atom, even though he had never seen one, as a particle that cannot change its nature. It could, he observed, combine with the atoms of other chemical elements to create a compound. Almost a century later the first subatomic particles were discovered. By the 1930s, physicists were working with new ideas which allowed them to investigate the parts of the atom in great detail. In turn, these developments helped them to develop quantum mechanics - the basis of both modern chemistry and physics.

In chemistry, the atom is the smallest part of an element that can still be recognised. An example will explain best of all. Each element is identified by the number of protons it has. An atom of carbon has six protons. Those six protons without the neutrons and electrons, or the electrons without the other subatomic particles are simply subatomic particles; they arc not carbon. A carbon atom can be combined with two atoms of oxygen to give the compound carbon dioxide, or CO₂. It is this difference in the number of subatomic particles that makes one atom different from another.

Subatomic particles also have another purpose. If there is the same number of electrons and protons in the atom, then the atom will be electronically neutral. A difference between the two means the atom has an electrical charge, in other words, it produces electricity. This electricity means the electrons can become attracted to each other. In this way, atoms can bond together to form molecules, and when enough molecules are joined together we have matter that we can see.

The most recent theories of the origins of the universe say that all the atoms in the universe were formed in the first few minutes of the universe coming into existence. The most common element is the simplest, hydrogen, which has the atomic number 1. Seventy-five per cent of all atoms are hydrogen atoms. The next most simple is the next most common, helium, atomic number 2 making twenty-four per cent of all atoms. All the other atoms add up to just one per cent of everything that exists in the universe.

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

1. Dalton believed the atom to be

a. an element.

b. made of smaller particles.

c. the smallest possible particle.

d. his own idea.

2. Dalton's theories were

a. generally accepted.

b. not tested very carefully.

c. accepted at once.

d. not correct.

3. The number of protons in an element

a. is the same as the number of electrons.

b. is always six.

c. never changes.

d. characterises the element.

4. Electrons help

a. protons to form elements.

b. atoms to be neutral.

c. molecules to become atoms.

d. atoms to form molecules.

5. Hydrogen is a. the simplest atom there is.

b. present in all atoms.

c. the oldest atom.

d. as common as helium.

The atom

1. Термин "атом" имеет греческое происхождение и означает мельчайшую частицу химического элемента.

2. Первую научную гипотезу атомарного строения материи выдвинул британский учёный Джон Долтон.

3. Долтон рассматривал атом как частицу, которая может объединяться с атомами других химических элементов и образовывать химические соединения.

4. Сегодня мы знаем, что атомы состоят в свою очередь из ещё более мелких частиц: электронов, нейтронов и протонов.

5. К 1930-м годам была создана квантовая механика, которая стала основой современных химии и физики.

6. Один атом отличается от другого количеством элементарных частиц.

7. Электрический заряд заставляет электроны притягиваться друг к другу, благодаря чему атомы, соединяясь, образуют молекулы.

Вариант 10

Complete the sentences below with words from the box.

hardship enroll resign appoint confirmed resulted

solution expand density uniform

1. They are going to... a new professor in the Chemistry department.

2. Many famous people in the past suffered a lot of … to achieve their goals.

3. The experiment proved that the gases had a … reaction, that is the same reaction.

4. Most schools expect you to … before you begin your studies.

5. The … of a substance is how thick and compact it is.

6. If metal is heated you will see it ….

7. It was a … made up of water and salt.

8. If somebody is unhappy in their job, they may ….

9. The experiment in the lab … in a huge explosion.

10. The outcome of the experiment … his theory.

Dmitri Mendeleev

Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev was born in Tobolsk, in Siberia, on 7 February, 1834. As a child he showed a great interest in Mathematics and Physics and was a talented student. Despite the hardships experienced by his family while he was growing up, his mother was determined to see him educated and to help him achieve his dreams. After the family moved to St Petersburg, she managed to enroll him as a student science teacher on a full scholarship. Despite many more problems, Mendeleev earned his decrees and eventually, in 1863, was appointed Professor of Chemistry at the Technological Institute and the University of St Petersburg.

Probably his greatest scientific achievement was the discovery of the periodic law and the development of the periodic table of elements. He left gaps in his table for undiscovered elements and predicted the properties of the elements that would fit these gaps. His predictions were confirmed when, during his lifetime, three predicted elements; gallium, germanium and scandium, which he had named eka-aluminium, eka-silicon and eka-boron respectively, were discovered. These discoveries gave him threat respect among members of the scientific community.

However, Mendeleev' made other important contributions to science. He was involved in many areas including hydrodynamics, agricultural chemistry, mineral recovery, meteorology and chemical technology. One particular contribution involved solutions, lie spent a lot of time studying how the nature of solutions could be determined, adding greatly to our understanding in that field. In addition, he was involved in physical chemistry, looking at the expansion of liquids because of heat. He spent time in Paris with Henri Victor Regnault studying the densities of leases and came up with a formula to explain how gases are uniform when expanding; in other studies he defined the absolute boiling point of a substance. His studies of teases at high and low pressures moreover, allowed him to develop an accurate barometer and while working for the Russian navy, he came up with pyrocollodion, a smokeless powder based on nitrocellulose. The list of his achievements is endless!

Despite his international reputation as one of the world's most important scientists, the Tsar at the time did not approve of Mendeleev's politics, resulting in his resignation from the University of St Petersburg in 1900. He died on 20th January, 1907, from pneumonia.