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LiWeiTan_2018S-_令人着迷的气泡科学：从肥皂到香槟_
Some years ago, I was visiting Paris and walking along the Seine River during a beautiful summer afternoon. 很多年前我游访巴黎时, 曾在一个美好的夏日午后 漫步在塞纳河边。
I saw giant bubbles floating on the riverbank , like this one. 我看到一些巨大的泡泡漂浮在河岸, 像这个一样。
giant:n.巨人;伟人;巨兽;adj.巨大的;特大的 bubbles:n.泡; v.起泡; (bubble的第三人称单数和复数) riverbank:n.河堤;
The next moment, it popped and was gone. 随后,它突然破裂然后消失。
Making them were two street performers surrounded by a crowd. 这是被一群人围住的 两个街头艺人制造出的泡泡,
They visibly make a living by asking for donations and by selling pairs of sticks tied with two strings . 显然他们营生的手段 是靠卖艺获得捐款, 和售卖一对被两根绳子拴在一起的棍子。
visibly:adv.明显地;显然;看得见地; make a living:谋生,维持生活; donations:n.捐赠物;捐赠;赠送;(donation的复数) strings:一串,悬挂(string的第三人称单数和复数)
When I was there, a man bought a pair of sticks for 10 euros , which surprised me. 当时,正好一个男人 花了10欧元买了一对棍子, 这让我感到十分吃惊。
euros:n.欧元;欧洛斯风;带雨东南暴风(euro复数);
I am a scientist who is passionate about bubbles. 我是一个痴迷于气泡的科学家,
passionate:adj.热情的;热烈的,激昂的;易怒的;
I know the right trick to make the giant bubbles is the right soapy water mixture itself -- not the sticks, which may be needed, but you can easily make them at home. 我知道这些大泡泡背后的把戏, 不过是配比合适的 肥皂水的混合物在起作用—— 与棍子无关, 尽管可能用得到, 你在家里也能很容易的做出这些泡泡。
soapy:adj.涂着肥皂的;含有肥皂的;似肥皂的;圆滑的; mixture:n.混合;结合体;混合物;集合体;
Focusing on the sticks makes us not see that the real tool is the bubble itself. 把焦点放在棍子上让我们忽视了 真实的工具其实就是气泡本身。
Bubbles might seem like something just children make while playing, but sometimes it can be really stunning . 或许气泡看起来只是 孩子们玩弄的东西, 但有时它的效果十分惊人。
stunning:adj.惊人的; v.使昏迷; (stun的现在分词)
However, there are more fascinating science to bubbles, such as problem-solving tools. 然而,这些气泡背后 还有着更为迷人的科学知识, 例如解决问题的工具。
fascinating:adj.极有吸引力的;迷人的;v.深深吸引;迷住;(fascinate的现在分词) problem-solving:adj.问题解决的;n.解决问题;找出问题的答案;
So I would like to share with you a few stories about the science of creating bubbles and the science of eliminating the microscopic ones. 所以我想跟你们分享 关于制造气泡的科学故事, 和消除微观气泡的科学。
eliminating:v.排除;清除;消除;淘汰;(eliminate的现在分词) microscopic:adj.微观的;用显微镜可见的;
Since it's up on the screen, let's start with the soap bubble. 既然已经在屏幕上显示了, 我们就从肥皂泡开始吧。
It is made from very common substances : air, water, soap, in the right mixture. 它是由很相似的物质构成的, 空气,水,肥皂,适当的混合,
substances:n.[物]物质;基本内容;物品药物(substance的复数);
You can see soap bubbles constantly changing their colors. 你们可以看到肥皂泡不断的变换颜色。
constantly:adv.不断地;时常地;
This is due to the interaction with light at various directions and the changes of their thickness . 这是由于它与灯光在不同角度相互作用, 而且厚度也会发生变化。
interaction:n.[计]交互,相互作用;相互交流;干扰; thickness:n.厚度;层;浓度;含混不清;
One of the common substances, water molecules , are formed by two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen -- H2O. 其中一个共同的物质,水分子 是由两个氢原子和 一个氧原子组成的——即 H2O。
molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数); atoms:n.[物]原子(atom的复数); hydrogen:n.氢;氢气;
On most surfaces, water droplets tend to curve inwards , forming a semihemisphere shape. 在大多数表面上,水滴倾向于向内弯曲 形成半球形状。
droplets:n.[流]液滴(droplet的复数);飞沫; curve:n.曲线;弯曲;曲面;弧线;v.(使)沿曲线移动;呈曲线形; inwards:adv.向内地;向中心地;
This is because the water droplet's surface is like an elastic sheet . 这是因为水滴的表面富有弹性,
elastic:n.橡皮圈;adj.有弹力(弹性)的;伸缩自如的;机变的; sheet:n.薄板;床单;纸张;报纸;v.覆盖;展开;给…铺床单;铺开;adj.片状的;
The water molecule on the surface is constantly being pulled inwards by the molecule at the center. 表面的水分子不断地 被中心的分子拉向内部。
And the quality of the elasticity is what we call " surface tension ." 弹性就是我们所说的表面张力。
elasticity:n.弹性;弹力;灵活性; surface tension:n.表面张力;
Now by adding soap, what happens is the soap molecule reduces the surface tension of water, making it more elastic and easier to form bubbles. 通过增加肥皂, 肥皂分子降低了水的表面张力, 使得它更具弹性,并且更容易形成气泡。
You can think of a bubble as a mathematical problem-solver. 可以把一个气泡想成 一个数学问题解决者,
mathematical:adj.数学的,数学上的;精确的;
You see it relentlessly trying to achieve geometry perfection . 你看到它不断尝试去实现几何学完美,
relentlessly:adv.残酷地,无情地; geometry:n.几何学;几何结构; perfection:n.完善;完美;
For instance , a sphere is the shape with the least surface area for a given volume . 例如,对于给定的体积,球体是 表面积最小的形状。
instance:n.实例;情况;建议;v.举...为例; sphere:n.球;领域;球体;球形;v.使成球形;包围;把…放在球内;使处于天体之间; volume:n.体积;容积;音量;响度;一册;合订本
That's why a single bubble is always in the shape of a sphere. 这就是为什么一个气泡 总是以球体的形态存在,
Let me show you. Check it out. 让我来展示给你们看。
This is a single bubble. 这是一个单一的气泡,
When two bubbles touch each other, they can save materials by sharing a common wall. 当两个气泡彼此接触, 它们会通过共享球壁来节约材料。
When more and more bubbles are added together, their geometry changes. 当越来越多的气泡聚集到一起, 它们的几何形状会发生变化。
These four bubbles are added together. 这四个气泡聚集在一起,
They meet at one point at the center. 它们在中心有一个交点。
When six bubbles are added together, a magical cube appears at the center. 当六个气泡聚集到一起, 一个神奇的立方体就会出现在中心。
(Applause) （掌声）
That is surface tension at work, trying to find the most effective geometry arrangement . 这是表面张力在起作用, 试图找到最有效的几何排列。
effective:adj.有效的,起作用的;实际的,实在的;给人深刻印象; arrangement:n.安排;筹备;布置;商定;约定;改编乐曲;
Now, let me give you another example. 现在,让我们来看另一个例子。
This is a very simple prop . 这是一个非常简单的道具,
prop:n.道具;支柱;支持者;后盾;v.支撑;
This is made from two layers of plastic with four pins connected to each other. 它由两层塑料制成, 通过四个针钉相互连接。
layers:n.层;表层;层次;阶层;v.把…分层堆放;(layer的第三人称单数和复数) pins:n.插脚,针;精确的综合导航系统;
Imagine these four pins represent four cities that are equally apart, and we would like to make roads to connect these four cities. 试想这四个针钉代表了四个等距的城市, 我们想修建马路把四个城市连接起来。
represent:v.代表;表现;描绘;回忆;再赠送;
My question is: What is the shortest length to connect these four cities? 我的问题是:连接这四个城市 最短的路径是什么？
Let's find out the answer by dipping it into the soapy water. 让我们将其浸入肥皂水中来找出答案。
dipping:v.蘸;浸;(使)下降,下沉;(dip的现在分词)
Remember, the soap bubble forms will always try to minimize their surface area with a perfect geometry arrangement. 请记住,肥皂泡的形成总是会尽量 使表面积最小化, 并伴随完美的几何排列。
minimize:v.使减少到最低限度;降低;贬低;使显得不重要;
So the solution might not be something you expected. 所以解决方案或许不是你所期待的那样。
solution:n.解决方案;溶液;溶解;解答;
The shortest length to connect these four cities is 2.73 times the distance between these two cities. 连接四个城市最短的长度, 是两个城市距离的2.73倍。
(Applause) （掌声）
Now you've got the idea. 现在你已经明白了,
The soap bubble forms will always try to minimize their surface area with a perfect geometry arrangement. 肥皂泡的形成总是 尽量使表面积最小化, 并伴有完美的几何排列。
Now, let us look at bubbles in another perspective . 现在,让我们用从另一个 角度来看待这些气泡。
perspective:n.观点;远景;透视图;adj.透视的;
My daughter, Zoe, loves visiting zoos. 我的女儿,Zoe,喜欢逛动物园。
Her favorite spot is Penguin Cove at Marwell Zoo in Southern England, where she could see penguins swim at speed under the water. 她最喜欢的地方是位于英格兰 南部的马威尔动物园的企鹅湾。 在那里她可以看企鹅 在水下飞快的游泳。
Cove:n.小湾;山凹;小峡谷;vt.使内凹;使成拱形;vi.内凹;成拱形; penguins:n.企鹅;(penguin的复数)
One day, she noticed that the body of penguins leaves a trail of bubbles when they swim and asked why. 有一天,她注意到当企鹅们游泳时, 它们的身后会留下一串串的气泡, 她向我询问其中原因。
trail:v.(被)拖,拉;疲惫地走,磨蹭;落后,失败;n.痕迹;踪迹;小路;路线;
Animals and birds like penguins that spend a lot of their time under the water have evolved an ingenious way of utilizing the capability of bubbles to reduce the density of water. 动物和鸟类,比如企鹅, 大部分时间都生活在水里, 逐渐进化出了一种可以利用气泡 来降低水的密度的巧妙方式。
evolved:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;(evolve的过去分词和过去式) ingenious:adj.有独创性的;机灵的,精制的;心灵手巧的; utilizing:v.利用(utilize的ing形式); capability:n.才能,能力;性能,容量; density:n.密度;
Emperor penguins are thought to be able to dive a few hundred meters below the sea surface. 帝企鹅可以在海平面下几百米深的 水下潜水。
dive:n.潜水;跳水;俯冲;猛冲;v.猛冲;(头朝下)跳入水中;[体]跳水(运动);
They are thought to store the air under their feathers before they dive and then progressively release it as a cloud of bubbles. 它们被认为会在潜水前 在羽毛下面存储空气, 然后逐渐释放空气形成一团气泡。
progressively:adv.渐进地;日益增多地; release:v.释放;发射;让与;允许发表;n.释放;发布;让与;
This reduces the density of water surrounding them, making it easier to swim through and speed up their swimming speed at least 40 percent. 这可以降低它们周围的水的密度, 让游泳变得更轻松, 同时可以将游泳速度提高至少40%。
This feature has been noticed by the ship manufacturers . 这个特点被船舶制造商注意到了。
manufacturers:n.生产者;制造者;生产商;(manufacturer的复数)
I am talking about the big ships here, the ones that are used to transport thousands of containers across the ocean. 我说的是大型船只, 那些可以跨洋运输 上千个集装箱的大船,
transport:n.运输;输送;运送;运输机;v.输送;传播;使产生身临其境的感觉;(旧时)流放;
Recently , they developed a system called "air lubricating system," 他们近来开发了一套 称为“空气润滑系统”的装置,
Recently:adv.最近;新近; lubricating:adj.润滑的,涂油;加润滑油的;v.润滑(lubricate的现在分词);加润滑油;
inspired by the penguins. 就是受企鹅的启发。
inspired:adj.受到启发的; v.鼓舞; (inspire的过去分词和过去式)
In this system, they produce a lot of air bubbles and redistribute them across the whole of the ship, like an air carpet that reduces the water resistance when a ship is moving. 他们用这个系统制造很多空气泡, 并重新分散在整只船周围, 就像一层空气地毯一样,以此来降低 船行时水的阻力。
redistribute:vt.重新分配;再区分; carpet:n.地毯;v.用地毯铺(房间的)地板; resistance:n.电阻;抵抗;阻力;抗力;
This feature cuts off the energy consumption for the ship up to 15 percent. 这个功能为船只节省了 高达15%的能源消耗。
consumption:n.消费;消耗;肺痨;
Bubbles can also be used for medicines. 气泡同样也可以用于医药,
It can also play a role in medicines, for instance, as a method for noninvasive delivery systems for drugs and genes to a specific part of the body. 它也可以在药物中发挥作用。 例如,可以作为将药物和基因 运送至身体的某个特定部位的 非侵入性传递系统的一种方法。
noninvasive:adj.非侵袭的;非侵害的; delivery:n.[贸易]交付;分娩;递送; genes:n.基因;(gene的复数) specific:adj.特殊的,特定的;明确的;详细的;[药]具有特效的;n.特性;细节;特效药;
Imagine a microbubble filled with a mixture of drugs and magnetic agents being injected into our bloodstream . 想象一个 充满药物和磁性剂混合物的微泡, 被注入到我们的血液中。
microbubble:微气泡;微泡;微泡法; magnetic:adj.像磁铁的;有磁性的;磁的;富有吸引力的; agents:n.代理人,经纪人;原动力;(agent的复数) injected:v.(给…)注射(药物等); (inject的过去分词和过去式) bloodstream:n.[生理]血流,血液的流动;
The bubbles will move to the target areas. 气泡会移向目标区域,
But how do they know where to go? 但是它们如何知道要去哪里呢？
Because we placed a magnet there. 因为我们在那放置了一个磁体,
For instance, this part of my hand. 例如,我手上的这个部位。
When the microbubbles move to this part of my hand, we can pop it via ultrasound and release the drug exactly where it's needed. 当微泡移到我手上的这个部位, 我们就可以通过超声使它破裂, 并且准确的把药物释放到所需部位。
microbubbles:微气泡;微泡;微米气泡; via:prep.通过;经由;n.道路;[医]管道; ultrasound:n.超声;超音波;
Now, I mentioned about the science of creating bubbles. 那么,我提到了制造气泡的科学,
But sometimes we also need to remove them. 但是有时我们也需要除去气泡,
That's actually part of my job. 这实际上也是我工作的一部分。
My exact job title is "ink formulation scientist." 我确切的职称是“油墨配方科学家”,
formulation:n.构想,规划;公式化;简洁陈述;
But I don't work on the ink that you use for your writing pens. 但是,我所打交道的不是 你们写字用的笔中的那种油墨,
I'm working on some cool applications such as organic photovoltaics , OPVs, and organic light-emitting diodes , OLEDs. 我所用的油墨有着非常酷的应用, 如有机光伏,OPV; 和有机发光二极管,OLED。
organic:adj.有机的;不使用化肥的;绿色的;有机物的;n.分子有机体; photovoltaics:光伏;太阳光电;光生伏打 light-emitting:adj.发光的; diodes:n.二极管;
Part of my job is to figure out how and why we want to remove the bubbles from the ink that my company produces. 我的一部分工作就是搞清楚 我们在油墨生产过程中 要消除气泡的方式和原因。
During the formulation-mixing process , or preparation process , we mix active ingredients , solvents and additives in order to achieve the formulations with the properties we want when the ink is being used. 在配方混合过程中, 或者准备过程中, 我们将活性成分,溶剂 和添加剂混合在一起, 以使配方在墨水使用过程中 实现我们想要的性能。
process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的; ingredients:n.成分;(尤指烹饪)原料;(成功的)要素;(ingredient的复数) solvents:n.[化学]溶剂;解决方法(solvent的复数形式); additives:n.添加剂,食物添加剂;附加剂; formulations:构想,规划;[数]公式化;简洁陈述formulation的复数);
But just like you would make drinks or bake cakes, it is unavoidable that some air bubbles will be trapped inside that ink. 但是,就像你做饮品 或是烘培蛋糕, 一些气泡会不可避免地 进入到油墨中。
bake:n.烤; v.焙; (变得)灼热; unavoidable:adj.不可避免的;不能废除的; trapped:adj.受困的;受限制的;v.使落入险境;使陷入困境;(trap的过去分词和过去式)
Here, we are talking about a different space from the bubbles I'd seen in Paris. 在这里,我们谈论的气泡 与我在巴黎看到的 有着截然不同的尺度。
The bubbles that are trapped inside those inks vary between a few millimeters , a few microns or even a few nanometers in size. 那些困在油墨里的气泡, 尺寸在几毫米 到几微米不等, 甚至只有几纳米。
vary:vi.变化;变异;违反;vt.改变;使多样化;变奏; millimeters:n.毫米;(millimeter的复数) microns:n.微米(micron的复数); nanometers:n.[计量]毫微米(即十亿分之一米);
And what we are concerned about is the oxygen and the moisture that is trapped inside. 我们所关心的是 困在里面的氧气和水分。
concerned:adj.有关的;关心的;v.关心;与…有关;(concern的过去时和过去分词) moisture:n.水分;湿度;潮湿;降雨量;
At this size scale , removing them is not easy. 在这样的尺寸范围里 移除它们并不容易。
scale:n.规模;比例;鳞;刻度;天平;数值范围;v.衡量;攀登;剥落;生水垢;
But it matters, for instance, for organic light-emitting diodes inks that we can use to produce display for your smartphone , for example. 但是这很重要, 例如,对于可以用来生产 智能手机显示屏的有机发光二极管,
display:n.显示;炫耀;vt.显示;表现;陈列;vi.[动]作炫耀行为;adj.展览的;陈列用的; smartphone:n.智能手机;
It's supposed to last for many years, but if the ink that we use has been absorbed with oxygen and moisture 它应该十分经久耐用, 但如果我们使用的油墨 掺进了氧气和水分,
supposed:adj.误信的;所谓的;v.认为;假设;设想;(suppose的过去分词和过去式) absorbed:adj.被…吸引住; v.吸收(液体、气体等); (absorb的过去分词和过去式)
[which] are not being removed, then we can quickly see dark spots appear in the pixels . 又没能被移除, 我们很快就会在像素中看到黑点。
pixels:n.像素(组成屏幕图像的最小独立元素);(pixel的复数)
Now, one challenge we face in removing the microbubbles is that they are not very cooperative . 在移除微气泡的过程中, 我们所面临的一个挑战是, 它们并不配合。
cooperative:adj.合作的;协作的;同心协力的;协助的;n.合作企业;合作社组织;
They like to sit there, bathing in the ink without moving much. 它们被固定在油墨中, 几乎一动不动。
bathing:n.游泳,畅游;v.给…洗澡;洗澡;(bath的现在分词)
But how do we kick them out? 那我们该如何把它们移走呢？
One technology we use is to force the ink going through a thin, long and tiny tube with a porous wall, and we place the tubes inside the vacuum chamber , 我们使用的一种技术, 就是迫使油墨穿过一根 带有多孔壁的细长的管子, 我们把管子放到真空室内,
technology:n.技术;工艺;术语; porous:adj.多孔渗水的;能渗透的;有气孔的; vacuum:n.真空; adj.真空的; v.用真空吸尘器清扫; chamber:n.(身体或器官内的)室,膛; adj.室内的; vt.把…关在室内;
so that the bubbles can be squeezed out from the ink and be removed. 这样气泡就会从油墨中被挤压出来, 进而被移除。
squeezed:v.挤压;捏;榨出,挤出,拧出;挤入;(squeeze的过去分词和过去式)
Once we manage to remove the bubbles from the ink that we produce, it is time for celebration. 在成功的将气泡从所生产的 油墨中移除的那一刻, 我们应该为此庆祝。
Let's open a bubbling champagne . 让我们打开一瓶气泡香槟,
bubbling:v.起泡;冒泡;洋溢着(某种感情);(bubble的现在分词) champagne:n.香槟酒;香槟酒色;
Ooh, this is going to be fun! 喔,这将会非常有趣！
(Laughter) （笑声）
Woooo! 哇！
(Applause) （掌声）
You could see a lot of bubbles rushing out from the champagne bottle. 你们可以看到很多泡泡 从酒瓶中喷涌而出,
These are the bubbles filled with carbon dioxide , a gas that's been produced during the fermentation process of the wine. 这些气泡充满了二氧化碳, 一种在制酒的发酵过程中产生的气体。
carbon dioxide:二氧化碳; fermentation:n.发酵;
Let me pour some out. 让我们倒出一些,
pour:v.倒; n.流出; (已熔金属的)一次浇注量;
I can't miss the chance. 我可不能错过这样的机会。
I guess it's enough. 应该够了。
(Laughter) （笑声）
Here, I can see a lot of microbubbles moving from the bottom of the glass to the top of the champagne. 这里,我可以看到许多微小的气泡, 从杯子的底部向香槟的液面移动。
Before it pops, it will jet tiny droplets of aroma molecules and intensify the flavor of champagne, making us enjoy much more the flavor of champagne. 在破裂前, 它会喷射出很多香气分子, 让香槟的味道更加浓郁, 让我们能够更好的享受香槟的味道。
aroma:n.芳香; intensify:vi.增强,强化;变激烈;vt.使加强,使强化;使变激烈; flavor:n.情味,风味;香料;滋味;v.加味于;
As a scientist who is passionate about bubbles, 作为一个痴迷于气泡的科学家,
I love to see them, 我喜欢观察这些气泡,
I love to play with them, and I love to study them. 与气泡为伴, 研究它们。
And also, I love to drink them. 同时,我也喜欢将它们一饮而尽。
Thank you. 谢谢！
(Applause) （掌声）