TED演讲:为什么玻璃是透明的(2)

 　　But this still doesn't explain why light is able to pass through glass rather than being absorbed as with most solids. 但是这还是不能解释为什么光可以穿透玻璃而不是像其他大多固体那样被吸收。

　　For that, we need to go all the way down to the subatomic level. 关于这个，我们需要进一步谈论到亚原子层面上。

　　You may know that an atom consists of a nucleus¹ with electrons orbiting around it, 你或许知道原子是由原子核以及围绕着它的电子共同形成的，

　　but you may be surprised to know that it's mostly empty space. 但是你有可能很意外的发现它的大部分体积都是空的。

　　In fact, if an atom were the size of a sports stadium, the nucleus would be like a single pea in the center, 事实上，如果把一个原子比作一座体育场那么大，

　　while the electrons would be like grains of sand in the outer seats. 那么原子核可能就是体育场中心的一颗豆子，而中子就像是沙粒环绕于四周的座位上。

　　That should leave plenty of space for light to pass through without hitting any of these particles. 这样一来，就会留有大量的缝隙让光可以穿过它却不会碰到其他颗粒。

　　So the real question is not why is glass transparent², but why aren't all materials transparent? 所以真正的问题并不是为什么玻璃是透明的，而是为什么所有物质都不透明？

　　The answer has to do with the different energy levels that electrons in an atom can have. 答案可以归结于与原子内电子所拥有的不同能级有关。

　　Think of these as different rows of seats in the stadium stands. 若把它们视为体育场里一排排的座位。

　　An electron is initially³ assigned to sit in a certain row,  一个电子首先被安排到一个固定的座位，

　　but it could jump to a better row, if it only had the energy. 但是它可以跳到另一个更好的座位，只要它有足够的能量。

　　As luck would have it, absorbing one of those light photons passing through the atom can provide just the energy the electron needs. 如果幸运吸收一个穿过这个原子的光子刚好可以提供电子所需要的能量。

　　But there's a catch. 但有个问题。

　　The energy from the photon has to be the right amount to get an electron to the next row. 来自光子的能量必须正好合适才能使得电子跳到下一排。

　　Otherwise, it will just let the photon pass by, and it just so happens that in glass, 否则，光子就会穿过这些电子就像光穿过玻璃一样排与排分开的太远，

　　the rows are so far apart that a photon of visible light can't provide enough energy for an electron to jump between them. 以至于可见光的光子不能提供足够能量让电子在两排之间跳动。

　　Photons from ultraviolet light, on the other hand, give just the right amount of energy, 但另一方面，紫外线光子刚好可以提供足够能量进而被吸收，

　　and are absorbed, which is why you can't get a suntan through glass. 这就是为什么透过玻璃你不会被晒黑的原因。

　　This amazing property of being both solid and transparent has given glass many uses throughout the centuries. 这种既是固体又是透明状的特性让玻璃在几个世纪以来得到了大量的应用。

　　From windows that let in light while keeping out the elements,  从可以让光照入却又能把其他物质挡在外面的窗户，

　　to lenses that allow us to see both the vast worlds beyond our planet, and the tiny ones right around us. 到能让我们同时看到地球以外的广袤星空，以及眼前的微小世界的镜片。

　　It is hard to imagine modern civilization without glass. 很难想象没有玻璃的现代文明会是怎样。

　　And yet for such an important material we rarely think about glass and its impact. 但是对于这样如此重要的物质，我们却很少思考它以及它的作用。

　　It is precisely⁴ because the most important and useful quality of glass 这恰恰是因为玻璃最重要的以及最有用的特质，

　　is being featureless and invisible that we often forget that it's even there. 是使其变得无特征并不可见，以至于我们都忘了它的存在。

1 nucleus   

n.核，核心，原子核

参考例句：

• 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。

2 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

3 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

4 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。