Glimpses of History of Physical Chemistry

(1) In 1896, Henri Becquerel and the Curies had discovered the phenomenon of radioactivity. This laid the basis for nuclear chemistry and physics. In 1919 Ernest Rutherford produced the first artificial transmutation of elements, and in 1934 the Joliot-Curies discovered that all elements could be made to be radioactive. By 1939 Otto Hahn, Fritz Strassmann, and Lise Meitner had established the occurrence of uranium fission. By the early 1940s nuclear reactions had been used to make radioactive isotopes of all elements from atomic number 1 to 98 inclusive. Glenn Seaborg contributed much to this work. In the first 25 years of the 20th century, Rutherford's work laid the basis for the interpretation of the structure of atoms. Gilbert Lewis, Irving Langmuir, and Niels Bohr submitted the first qualitative concept of atomic structure in the period 1912-25. The more workable picture was given by the wave theory of matter (1925). In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Linus Pauling contributed much to knowledge of the nature of the chemical bond and of the relationship between the structure of atoms and molecules and their properties.

(2) One of the most notable achievements in chemistry has been the development or synthesis of whole new classes of materials. Early plastics such as Parkesine, for example, developed before 1862, and celluloid had little commercial success until the 20th century. The early plastics had relied on the large molecules in cellulose, usually derived from wood pulp. However, in 1909 Leo H. Baekeland, a Belgian-born inventor in the United States, took out a patent for Bakelite, a hard, chemically resistant plastic that he had developed. As a nonconductor of electricity it was useful for all sorts of electrical appliances.

(3) The commercial success of Bakelite sparked great interest and investment in the plastics industry, in the study of coal-tar products and other hydrocarbon compounds, and in the theoretical understanding of complex molecules. This activity led to new dyes and detergents, but it also led to the successful manipulation of molecules to produce materials with particular qualities such as hardness or flexibility. Techniques were developed, often requiring catalysts and elaborate equipment, to make these polymers – that is, complex molecules produced by the building up of simpler structures. Among the more important results from the advance of chemistry in this direction has been the development of the industries for producing synthetic fibers for use in textiles and other applications, and for producing synthetic rubber.

(4) An even more dramatic result of the growth in chemical knowledge has been the expansion of the modern pharmaceutical industry. Notable early achievements include the development of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in 1899, Salvarsan (an antisyphilis drug) in 1910, and Prontosil (an effective antistreptococcal drug) in 1932, as well as the discovery of penicillin in 1928.

(Britannica Student Encyclopedia Library)

1. Определите, является ли утверждение:

The modern pharmaceutical industry became the starting point for the growth in chemical knowledge.

a) истинным

b) ложным

c) в тексте нет информации

2. Определите, является ли утверждение:

The main discovery in chemistry was the combination of absolutely different groups of materials, such as plastic and celluloid.

a) истинным

b) ложным

c) в тексте нет информации

3. Определите, является ли утверждение:

The particular qualities of polymers can be widely used in different brunches of industry.

a) истинным

b) ложным

c) в тексте нет информации

4. Определите, является ли утверждение:

At the beginning of the 20^th century the great contribution was made to the knowledge of the nature of the chemical bond.

a) истинным

b) ложным

c) в тексте нет информации

5. Укажите, какой части текста (1, 2, 3, 4) соответствует следующая информация:

Some of the most outstanding pharmaceutical discoveries were made in the late 19th – early 20th centuries.

a) 1

b) 2

c) 3

d) 4

6. Укажите, какой части текста (1, 2, 3, 4) соответствует следующая информация:

The discovery of radioactivity gave start to numerous experiments and it was proved that any element could be made radioactive.

a) 1

b) 2

c) 3

d) 4

7. Ответьте на вопрос:

What was the result of the commercial success of a hard, chemically resistant plastic – Bakelite?

a) It made the great interest to chemistry possible.

b) Many new dyes and detergents appeared and it was for the commercial success of penicillin.

c) The investments to the plastic industry grew considerably, further study of complex molecules was made and it led to the producing of new materials.

d) The successful manipulation on molecules allowed studying theoretical foundation of the complex molecules.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30