TED演讲:为什么油水不能混合(2)

 　　As liquid water, these molecules² are engaged in a constant and random³ square dance that is called the hydrogen bonding network. 作为液态水，这些分子从事着恒定而随机的被称为“氢键网络”的“方块舞”。

　　Entropy favors keeping the square dance going at all times. 熵倾向保持这种“方块舞”一直进行。

　　There are always more ways that all the water molecules can arrange in a square dance, 所有水分子被组合成“方块舞”的方式会更多，

　　as compared to if the water molecules did a line dance. 如果与水分子被组合成“排舞”方式比较的话。

　　So, the square dance constantly goes on. 因此，“方块舞”永恒地进行着。

　　So, what happens when you put salt in the water? 那么，当你把盐放进水里时会发生什么呢？

　　Well, on the molecular⁴ level, salt is actually made up of two different ions, 嗯，在分子层级上，盐其实是由两种不同的离子构成的，

　　chlorine and sodium⁵, that are organized like a brick wall. 即氯离子和钠离子，它们就像砖墙一样被组合起来。

　　They show up to the dance as a big group in formation and sit on the side at first, 它们以编队的形式作为一个大团体出现在舞会上，并首先坐在了一边，

　　shy and a bit reluctant to break apart into individual ions to join the dance. 害羞并且有些不情愿分离成单独的离子来加入这场舞会。

　　But secretly, those shy dancers just want someone to ask them to join. 但是这些腼腆的舞者暗地里却希望有人让它们加入。

　　So, when a water randomly⁶ bumps into one of them and pulls them into the dance away from their group, they go. 所以，当一个水分子偶然碰到它们中的一个并且将它们推向舞会、远离它们的团体时，它们就会去。

　　And once they go into the dance, they don't come back out. 而且，它们只要加入了舞会，就不会再回来了。

　　And in fact, the addition of the salt ions adds more possible dance positions in the square dance, 事实上，盐的加入使得“方块舞”的组合有了更多的可能形式，

　　so it is favored for them to stay dancing with water. 所以对它们来说与水共“舞”有好处。

　　Now, let's take oil. 现在，我们来说说油。

　　With oil, the molecules are sort of interested in dancing with water, so entropy favors them joining the dance. 油分子对与水共“舞”还是有点儿兴趣的，所以熵偏向于让它们加入舞会。

　　The problem is that oil molecules are wearing gigantic ballgowns, and they're way bigger than water molecules. 但问题在于油分子都穿着巨大的长礼服，而且它们比水分子大得多。

　　So, when an oil molecule¹ gets pulled in, their size is really disruptive to the dance 所以，当一个油分子加入舞会时，它的身量对舞会具有破坏性，

　　and the random exchange of partners that the waters engage in, a very important part of the dance. 而且水所从事的随机更换舞伴的行为是舞会的一个重要部分。

　　In addition, they are not great dancers. 此外，它们也不是杰出的舞者。

　　The water molecules try to engage the oil molecules in the dance, 水分子试图让油分子参与到舞会当中来，

　　but they just keep bumping into their dresses and taking up all the room on the dance floor. 但是它们总是碰到礼服并且占掉了舞池里的所有空间。

　　There are way more ways the waters can dance when the oil gets off the floor, 当油离开舞池时水跳舞的方式就多了许多，

　　so the waters squeeze out the oil, pushing it back to the bench with the others. 所以水把油挤了出去，把它推回到其他坐在长凳子上的油分子中。

　　Pretty soon, when a large number of oils have been squeezed over to the side, 不一会儿，当一大群油分子都被挤到一边时，

　　they band together to commiserate⁷ about how unfair the waters are being and stick together as a group. 它们就会聚到一起，并且遗憾地叹息水是多么的不公平，然后粘在一起成为一个团体。

　　So, it is this combination of the interactions between molecules 因此，就是这种分子无规则运动时，它们之间相互作用的结合方式

　　and the configurations⁸ available to them when they're moving randomly that dictates⁹ whether they mix. 以及可能实现的构造决定了它们是否能够混合。

　　In other words, water and oil don't mix because they just don't make great dance partners. 换一句话说，油和水不能混合的原因就是因为它们组不成完美的舞伴。

1 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

2 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

3 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

4 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

5 sodium   

n.（化）钠

参考例句：

• Out over the town the sodium lights were lit.在外面，全城的钠光灯都亮了。
• Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.食盐是钠和氯的复合物。

6 randomly   

adv.随便地，未加计划地

参考例句：

• Within the hot gas chamber, molecules are moving randomly in all directions. 在灼热的气体燃烧室内，分子在各个方向上作无规运动。 来自辞典例句
• Transformed cells are loosely attached, rounded and randomly oriented. 转化细胞则不大贴壁、圆缩并呈杂乱分布。 来自辞典例句

7 commiserate   

v.怜悯，同情

参考例句：

• When I lost,he commiserated with me.我落败的时候，他向我表示同情。
• I commiserated with her on the loss of her job.她失去了工作，我很同情她。

8 configurations   

n.[化学]结构( configuration的名词复数 )；构造；（计算机的）配置；构形（原子在分子中的相对空间位置）

参考例句：

• Such configurations, obtained theoretically by calculation, are called models of a star. 通过理论计算得到的恒星结构称为恒星模型。 来自辞典例句
• The other two configurations have overriding advantages for special applications. 其它两种接法对特殊应用具有突出的优点。 来自辞典例句

9 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》