English for chemists

Part Two
THE SUBJECT
Lesson 13
ГРАММАТИКА: Подлежащее. Существительное в функции подлежаще­ го. Местоимение в функции подлежащего.
Section I
Ex. 1. Practise your pronunciation.

1. 
   period ('pionod], ancient [’einjont], civilization [.smlai'zeijn], China ['t/aura], India ['indjo], Greece [gri:s], Egypt [*i:d3ipt], quintessence [kwin'tesns], elixir [l'likso], technique [tck'nkkj, iatrochcmist [ai'astrdo'kemist], pursuit [pa'sju:t], phlogiston [flo'dsiston], subsequent ['sAbsikwont), qualitative ['kwohtstiv], quantitative ('kwontitotiv], identify [ai 'dcntifai], urea [ juano]
   

2. 
   there\are, injheNhistory, a^'theoryyOfNnumbers, could^be^'vchanged, 'oneuof„\which, and0the0\answer, 'this0isuthe\datc,\provedwthat,
   

theudis'covery0of4particlcs
c) There are 'five 'periods | in the 'history of\chcmistry.
Ex. 2. Pay attention to the structure of the following words, translate them Into Russian:

1. 
   collcctivc, elusive, native, quantitative, qualitative, imperative
   

2. 
   afternoon, anything, football, nevertheless, iatrochcmist, meanwhile, thrcc-dimcntional, withstand, quintessence
   
3. 
   tcchniquc, unique
   

Ex. 3. Define the meanings of the word matter in the following sentences:

1. 
   During the phlogiston period men postulated a hypothetical matter.
   

2. 
   Biology is the scicncc of the physical life of living matter. 3. What is the matter with you? 4. Wc haven’t discusscd this matter yet. 5. No matter what method of preparation was used, the substancc should be pure. 6. It is a
   

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matter of common knowledge that matter can be neither destroyed nor created. 7. It is just the matter of time when the problem will be solved. 8. As a matter of fact the properties were quite different from those postulated.
Ex. 4. Find the predicate and the subject in the following sentences:
1. The ancient period in the history of chcmistry comprising the older civilizations developed practical arts and a philosophical approach to the study of matter. 2. The principal goals of an alchemical period were an elixir of life and the philosopher’s stone. 3. By the philosopher's stone alchemists wanted to change base metals into gold. 4. This is the date when modem chemistry begins. 5. Organic chcmistry was not understood until 1828.6. Fricdcrich Wohler proved that the vital force was not needed for the production of compounds. 7. The periodic law withstood the onslaught of the discovery of the subatomic particles.
Text 13 A
The History of Chemistry
There arc five periods in the history of chcmistry. The ancient period comprising the older civilizations of China, India, Greece, and their contemporaries to 350 A. D. developed practical arts as in Egypt, and a philosophical approach to the study of matter as in Greece, where a theory of numbers, an atomic theory, and a theory of five elements, earth, air, fire, water and the quintessence were proposed.
The alchemical period (350-1500), of which the principal goals were an elixir of life and the philosopher’s stone by which base metals could be changed to gold, introduced pure substancc and improved techniques.
Iatrochcmists (1500-1650) devoted their chcmical pursuits to alleviation of disease. During the phlogiston period (1650-1774) men postulated a hypothetical matter whose presence was required for combustion and calcination. Gain in weight by calcination of metals led to a search for a very light material and subsequent discovery of gases, one of which was oxygen, and the answer to the problem. Ibis is the date when modem chcmistry begins.
When qualitative and quantitative analysis had identified enough pure substances, inorganic chcmistry grew in scope. Organic chemistry was little understood until 1828 when synthesis of urea by Fricdcrich Wohler (1800-1828), a German chcmist, proved that the “vital force” which was considered imperative to producc compounds that occurred in living matter was not needed.
Meanwhile reliable physical and chcmical measurement began with the laws of Boyle (1660), Charles (1785), Gay-Lussac (1808) and Dalton (1807). Dalton’s atomic theory (1807), postulated after the laws of the conservation of mass and definite proportions were tacitly assumed, stimulated the 19th-century effort to determine accurate atomic weights,

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ideas for combination as expressed in valcnce*, and the studies of molecular structure until the thrcc-dimcntional models appeared.

Gradual determination of physical properties of the elements indicated a periodicity of property expressed by the periodic law which has withstood the onslaught** of the discovery of the subatomic particles which make up the nucleus and outer clcctrons of the atom.

W ords and W ord-Com binations to Be M emorized
accurate, A. D., ancient, approach, assume, comprise, date, definite, determine, effort, express, force, gain, goal, gold, gradual, improve, inorganic, matter, model, organic, outer, particle, principal, problem, prove, qualitative, reliable, require, stimulate, subsequent, synthesis, technique, there be, until, urea, withstand
Ex. S. Give the Russian equivalents for the following:
the history of chcmistry, an ancicnt period, comprize, civilization, develop, a philosophical approach to, a theory of numbers, a theory of elements, propose, the alchemical period, the principal goal, base metals, change to, introduce, pure substancc, an improved technique, devote, during the period, postulate, a hypothetical matter, require, gain in weight, the answer to the problem, identify a substancc, synthesis of urea, produce a compound, reliable measurements, stimulate the effort, accurate weight, until, gradual, withstand smth., subatomic particles
Ex. 6. Give the English equivalents for the following:
древний период, в истории химии, метод изучения материи, атом­ ная теория, теория элементов, теория чисел, земля, вода, воздух, огонь, главная цель, превратить в золото, чистое вещество, требовать, уве­ личение веса, очень легкое вещество, последующее открытие, совре­ менная химия, качествснный/количсствснный анализ, определить вещество, органическая/неорганическая химия, синтез вещества, доказать, получить соединение, надежный метод, закон сохранения массы, определить точный вес, последующие попытки, новая модель, постепенный, указывать на периодичность, открытие частиц, состав­ лять ядро, внешние электроны
Ex. 7. Fill in the blanks with prepositions where ncccssary.
1. There arc five periods... the history... chcmistry. 2. A philosophical approach... the study... matter was developed ... Greece. 3. Alchemists thought that there was a way ... which base metals could be changed ...
gold. 4. ... the phlogiston period men postulated a hypothetical matter. 5. Gain... weight... calcination... metals led ... a search ... a very light
* as expressed in valence — выраженный валентностью ** has withstood the onslaught — выдержал атаку

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material. 6. Organic chcmistry was little understood ... the synthesis of urea... Wohler... 1828.7. Reliable physical and chemical measurements began... the laws... Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac and Dalton. 8. Subatomic particles make ... the nucleus ... the atom.
Ex. 8. Translate the sentences into Russian paying attention to diflcrcnt functions of the verb do.
1. Do it as quickly as you can. 2. Do you know when the periodic law was stated? 3 .1 can’t do it now, 1 must be going. 4. The alchemists did improve techniques during their search of the philosopher’s stone and an elixir of life. 5. They do synthesize new materials in their laboratory. 6. Scientists did not understand organic chcmistry before the synthesis of urea. 7. He will have done it by S o’clock.
Ex. 9. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. 
   1. In the period 350-1500 A. D. alchemists devoted their efforts to a search for the philosopher’s stone. 2. Our understanding of atomic energy levels is based on modem advances in chcmistry. 3. Reliable physical and chemical measurements stimulated the determination of accurate atomic weight. 4. Until the discovery of the subatomic particles, the structure of atoms was not fully understood. 5. These laws (the laws of the Conservation of Mass and Definite Proportions) were an important stimulation for the 19th-century chemistry. 6. The first period in the development of chcmistry is the ancient period (until 350 A. D.). 7. There arc five periods in the history of chcmistry. 8. Mendeleyev’s law of periodicity of elements has withstood the onslaught of the discovery of the subatomic particles. 9. Five “elements” (earth, air, fire, water and the quintessence) were considered by the ancients as the building blocks of matter.
   

2. 
   1. Is your text difficult? — It is easy. 2. Was the philosopher’s stone found? — No, it was not. 3. What is this? — It is a text-book. 4. Whose book is it? — It is Nick’s book. 5. It is a very interesting phenomenon. 6. It is winter. 7. It is snowing now. 8. It was early morning when we came to the laboratory. 9. It is a long way from our hostel to die university. 10. It is believed that Wohler synthesized urea in 1828. 11. During the phlogiston period it was considered that some hypothetical matter was required for combustion and calcination. 12. It is necessary to know the periodicity in the history of chemistry. 13. It is never too late to leam. 14. It is chcmistry that is my favourite subjcct. 15. It was Lomonosov who was the founder of Russian physico-chemical scicncc. 16. It was early in the 19th century that Dalton founded his atomic theory. 17. It was after urea was synthesized that the development of organic chcmistry was stimulated. 18. It was not the alchemical period which was the shortest in the history of chcmistry. 19. It was not until qualitative and quantitative analysis had identified enough pure substances that inorganic chcmistry grew in scope. 20. It was not until 1808 that Gay-Lussac’s law was postulated. 21. Theirs was a very important discovery. 22. Ours is a most essential scicncc. 23. These are the latest
   

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journals. 24. Accurate measurements began with the laws of Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac and Dalton. These stimulated the efforts to determine accurate atomic weights. 25. How can one prepare urea? 26. One can express the idea for combination in valence. 27. Why docs one call Mendeleyev’s law the periodic law? 28. One must clearly understand the idea of chemical transformation. 29. One should be accurate in laboratory measurements.
Ex. 10. Translate the scntcnccs into English.
1. В истории развития химии есть несколько периодов. 2. Еще в Древней Греции был разработан философский подход к изучению материи. 3. Нужно помнить, что главной целью периода алхимии был поиск философского камня. 4. Считали, что именно философский камень превращает обычные металлы в золото. 5. Только тоща, когда были разработаны методы количественного и качественного анали­ за, стало возможно получить достаточное количество чистых веществ.

6. Увеличение веса металлов при прокаливании привело впоследствии

• 
  открытию газов. 7. Что такое качественный анализ? S. До 1928 года органическую химию мало понимали. 9. Многие ученые создавали свои модели строения атомов.
  

Ex. 11. Answer the following questions:

1. How many periods arc there in the history of chcmistry? 2. What are these periods? 3. What do you know about the ancient period? 4. What were the principal goals of the alchemical period? 5. What was the period of iatrochemistry devoted to? 6. Why is the period between 1650 and 1774 callcd .the phlogiston period? 7. When docs modem chcmistry begin?

8. 
   What stimulated the development of chcmistry in the 19th century?
   
9. 
   What investigations led to the discovery of the Periodic Law?