万物简史 第197期:威力巨大的原子(11)
英语课
In 1910, Rutherford (assisted by his student Hans Geiger, who would later invent the radiation detector 1 that bears his name) fired ionized helium atoms, or alpha particles, at a sheet of gold foil. To Rutherford's astonishment 2, some of the particles bounced back. It was as if, he said, he had fired a fifteen-inch shell at a sheet of paper and it rebounded 3 into his lap. This was just not supposed to happen.
1910年，卢瑟福（在他的学生汉斯·盖格的协助之下。盖格后来将发明冠有他名字的辐射探测仪）朝一块金箔发射电离的氦原子，或称α粒子。盖格后来还成为一个忠实的纳粹分子，出卖了他的犹太同事，其中包括很多曾经帮助过他的人。令卢瑟福吃惊的是，有的粒子竟会反弹回来。他说，他就像朝一张纸发射了一发38厘米的炮弹，结果炮弹反弹到了他的膝部。这是不该发生的事。
原子
After considerable reflection he realized there could be only one possible explanation: the particles that bounced back were striking something small and dense 4 at the heart of the atom, while the other particles sailed through unimpeded. An atom, Rutherford realized, was mostly empty space, with a very dense nucleus 5 at the center. This was a most gratifying discovery, but it presented one immediate 6 problem. By all the laws of conventional physics, atoms shouldn't therefore exist.
经过冥思苦想以后，他觉得只有一种解释：那些反弹回来的粒子击中了原子当中又小又密的东西，而别的粒子则畅通无阻地穿了过去。卢瑟福意识到，原子内部主要是空无一物的空间，只有当中是密度很大的核。这是个很令人满意的发现。但马上产生了一个问题，根据传统物理学的全部定律，原子因此就不应该存在。
n.发觉者，探测器
- The detector is housed in a streamlined cylindrical container.探测器安装在流线型圆柱形容器内。
- Please walk through the metal detector.请走过金属检测器。
n.惊奇，惊异
- They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
- I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效
- The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
- The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。
a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的
- The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
- The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
n.核，核心，原子核
- These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
- These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。
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