应用化学专业英语第一单元The Roots Of Chemistry

The Roots Of Chemistry

Chemistry can be broadly defines as the science of molecules and their transformations.化学可以广泛地定义为科学的分子和他们的转换。In contrast to mathematics,chemistry is older than people. 与数学不同，化学比人类更久远。The appearance of life and people on our planet (earth) is most probably the end result of specific chemical processes .生命的出现和人类生活在我们地球上都最可能是特殊化学过程的结果。Chemical processes have been present in the lives of people from the dawn of history until the present time .化学过程存从古至今存在人们的生活中。Initially ,these processes were not under our control 最初，这些过程不受我们的控制，,for instance ,the fermentation of fruit juice,the rotting of meat and fish ,and the burning of wood .例如，果汁的发酵，肉和鱼的腐烂，木材的燃烧。Later on we learned to control chemical processes and to use them to prepare a variety of different products such as food ,metals ,ceramics and leather .后来，我们学着控制化学过程，用它们来准备一系列不同的产品例如食物。In the development of chemistry ,four periods may be distinguished 在化学的发展中，四个阶段是突出的:prehistoric chemistry ,Greek chemistry ,alchemy ,and scientific chemistry. 史前化学，希腊化学，炼金术和科学化学

The early beginnings of chemistry were clearly motivated by practical needs of people .早期的化学显然是出于实际的需要。The discovery of fire offered the first opportunity to prehistoric people to carry out controlled chemical processes .火的发现为远古人提供了第一个机会去实现控制化学反应过程。They learned to prepare objects made of copper, 他们学会制备铜制物品，bronze and other materials that were readily available.铜和其它材料是现成的。Since the use of chemical processes by these early people predates writing there are no written records about their chemical skills .由于化学过程的使用早于人们的书写，因而没有书面记录有关它们的化学技巧。One can judge their chemical abilities only from the archeological discoveries of various artifacts .可以判断他们的化学能力只有从考古的发现的各个手工艺品。What has been found indicates clearly that practical needs influenced the early development of chemistry ,已经发现的。as was the case for the early development of mathematics .正如早期的数学发展，清楚的预示着实际需求影响着化学的发展。But chemistry and mathematics at this stage probably did not interact .但化学和数学在这个阶段可能没有互相影响。If they did ,there is no record to establish this .如果它们影响了，但是没有记录证明这个。

Greek chemistry was based mainly on speculation rather than on experiment .希腊化学主要基于猜测而不是实验。This was a common trait of all Greek science in antiquity .这是所有古代希腊化学的一个共同特征。The Greek scientist of antiquity was in fact the Greek philosopher ,古代希腊化学家实际是希腊哲学家。and so it is not surprising that the Greek were much more interested in contemplating than in experimenting .所以不足为奇的是希腊人思考比实验更有兴趣。Actually they seldom performed experiments outside of the thought experiment .实际上他们很少进行实验以外的思维实验。This was a good approach for mathematics but hardly one to recommend itself for the physical ,chemical or biological sciences .对于数学来说这是一个好方法，但没有一个人把它推荐在物理、化学或生物科学上。Nevertheless ,because the Greek thought a lot about the nature and structure of matter ,they can be considered as the creators of the first chemical theories .然而，由于希腊人思考了很多关于物质的性质和结构，他们可以被认为是第一个化学理论的创造者。

The Greek introduced the concept of the element and proposed in all four elements .希腊人引入了元素的概念和假设了所有的四种元素。Thales (625--547 BC) of Miletus thought that all things were formed from one elementary substance ,namely water .米利都的泰利斯(公元前625 - 547 )认为所有的东西都有一种物质构成，被称为水。Anaximenes ( ca 585-- ca 528 BC) ,also from Miletus ,accepted the idea of element ,but he believed that the single element from which all things are made is air .阿那克西米尼，同样来自米利都，接受了这种元素的概念，但他相信单个元素都是由空气组成。Heraclitus ( ca 540-- 480 BC ) of Ephesus ,who considered that the fundamental characteristic of the universe is continuous change ,regarded fire as the element that embodied perpetual change .以弗所的赫拉克利特，他认为宇宙的基本特征是持续变化的，认为火元素是永远在变化的元素。Empedocles ( ca 490--ca 430 BC ) ,from the Greek city of Akragas in Sicily , 恩培多克勒来自希腊城费拉里斯在西西里，abandoned the idea of s single element and introduced the principle of four element : 放弃了单个元素的概念，介绍了四种元素的原则：water ,air ,fire and earth ,水、空气、火和土，and the two forces of attraction and repulsion that operate between them .相互之间的吸引和排斥在它们之间起作用。Empedocles is also known for his experimental proof that air is a material body .恩培多克勒还以他的实验证明出空气是一中物质而出名。

The term "element" was first used by Plato (428--347 BC ) who assumed that the particles of each element have a specific shape ,even thought such particle are too small to be seen .元素这个术语是由柏拉图首次使用，他假设每个元素的粒子有一个特定的形状，甚至认为这种粒子是小得看不见。Thus ,the smallest particle of fire had the shape of a regular tetrahedron ;因而，火的最小粒子的形状为正四面体；of air a regular octahedron空气是正八面体；of water a regular icosahedron ,水是正十二面体，and of earth a cube ( or regular hexahedron ).土是立方体（或者正六面体）。The regular tetrahedron ,the regular octahedron ,the regular icosahedron and the cube are examples of regular polyhedra ,and there are in all five of them ;正