Chemistry

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Chemistry is the science which deals with materials, their properties and the transformations they undergo. So chemistry is the study of the composition and properties of matter, their changes, the conditions under which such changes take place, and the energy changes which accompany them.

Chemistry is concerned with the nature of fire and the structure of water, it deals with colours, catalysis and crystal structure, with physical properties and chemical reactivity.

Chemistry is one of the fundamental sciences. At present it plays an important part in the development of biochemistry, physics, geology, and many other fields of science. Chemistry’s origin goes back to ancient times, with the manufacture of bronze, iron, ceramics, glass.

At the end of the sixteenth century sufficient facts, entirely free of magic which surrounded the work of the alchemists, appeared.

In the 17^th century modern chemistry began with the work of Robert Boyle. He was the first one who studied quantitatively the relationship between the volume of a gas and the external pressure upon it. Later A. Lavoisier introduced the concept of the chemical elements.

In the 19^th century A. Avogardo introduced the concept of molecules. He stated that equal volumes of gases under the same conditions of temperature and pressure contain the same number of molecules.

F.A. Kekule and A. M. Butlerov introduced the structural theory of organic chemistry.

In 1869 D. I. Mendeleyev discovered regularities in the properties of the elements. D.I. Mendeleyev’s discovery was the greatest one in chemistry.

Many great scientists devoted their life to he development of chemistry, among them Bohr whose theory of the hydrogen atom was very important, the Curies who in 1934 announced the preparation of artificial radio-active elements, Marie Curie who discovered radium and the element polonium.

Many great Russian chemists made a great contribution to the world science. Among them, the outstanding Russian chemists M. V. Lomonosov, D. I. Mendeleyev, A. M. Butlerov, Academician N. N. Semenov, and many others.

Everyone now understands the importance of chemistry. The future of chemistry is practically unlimited. It will help to understand better many phenomena in nature. Rapid development of chemical industry will make it possible to create many new goods, machines, plastics, polymers.

In your study of chemistry you will learn thoroughly many things about substances, compounds, materials, chemical and physical changes, chemical properties, reactions and many other interesting and important things. It is to be remembered that:

1. Chemistry is the study of substances, their structure, their properties, and their reactions.

2. Matter exists as solids, liquids, or gases.

3. Homogeneous material is material with the same properties throughout.

4. Heterogeneous material is material consisting of parts with different properties.

5. Compound is a substance that can be decomposed into two or more substances.

6. Substance is a homogeneous species of matter with definite chemical composition.

7. Chemical reactions are the processes that convert substances into other substances.

8. Alloy is a metallic material containing two or more elements.

Notes to the text:

to deal with–иметь дело, рассматривать, касаться

to take place–иметь место, происходить

to be concerned with– иметь дело с

to devote to – посвящать ч-л.

to make a contribution to– делать вклад

to play an important part in – играть важную роль в

10. Answer the questions:

1. Does chemistry belong to natural or applied sciences? 2. What does chemistry study? 3. What does chemistry deal with? 4. Why is? chemistry one of the fundamental sciences? 5. When did sufficient factabout chemistryappear? 6. When did modern chemistry begin? 7. Who was the first to study quantitatively the relationship between the volume of a gas and the external pressure upon it? 8. What did Lavoisier introduce? 9. Who discovered regularities in the properties of the elements? 10. What can you tell about the future of chemistry?

11. Retell the text according to the following plan:

1. The definition of chemistry.

2. The relation of chemistry to other fields of science.

3. The origin of chemistry.

4. The great chemist Robert Boyle and his theory.

5. A. Avogadro’s formulation of molecules.

6. D.I. Mendeleyev’s Periodic Law.

7. Great scientists of the 19^th century.

8. The future of chemistry.

12. Translate the sentences paying attention to the words in bold type:

1. The article dealt with the changes which took place during the reaction. 2. Inorganic chemistry is concerned with mineral substances, organic chemistry deals with the compounds of carbon. 3. The students of these two departments can attend the same lectures. 4. The experimental method involves some observations of phenomena which take place in nature 5. It doesn’t matter what method we will employ in our work. 6. It is a matter of common observation that discovery of the electron was the beginning of a new era in all the sciences. 7. Different matters can be classified according to their properties.

13. Translate the words in the brackets into English:

1. Chemistry is the science which (рассматривает) with materials and their properties. 2. We think that the exhibition of our achievements (состоится) at the end of September. 3. This scientist (внёс большой вклад) both in chemistry and physics. 4. All his life he worked in the field of chemistry, and we can say that he (посвятил) his life to science. 5. All the changes which (сопровождали) this reaction play a very important role. 6. Later Lavoisier (ввёл) the concept of the chemical elements. 7. Though these two teams work under (одинаковые) conditions the results of their work are different.8. This article (касается) the development of our industry.

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