{"id":1617,"date":"2010-11-30T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2010-11-30T10:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1617"},"modified":"2014-07-17T14:07:18","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T14:07:18","slug":"russian-chemistry-for-muggles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-chemistry-for-muggles\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Chemistry for Muggles"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It’s been a while since we had our last guest post, but today is the day! Our guest writer today is Rob whom many of you know from the comments on the posts and invaluable contributions to our <\/em>Fanpage<\/em><\/a> discussions. Rob is what we, in Russia, call\u00a0\u00ab\u044d\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [a polymath] aka \u00ab\u0445\u043e\u0434\u044f<\/span>\u0447\u0430\u044f \u044d\u043d\u0446\u0438\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [a walking encyclopedia]. Turns out, in addition to his extensive knowledge of all things Russian, Rob\u00a0knows a thing or two about\u00a0\u00ab\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u00bb <\/strong>[natural science]. And so he gratiously \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u0445\u0438\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u043b\u00bb <\/strong>[concocted] this post for us.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442, \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0437\u043e\u0432\u0443<\/span>\u0442 \u0420\u043e\u0431, \u0438 \u044f \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0443 \u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043c \u0445\u043e\u0437\u044f<\/span>\u0438\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0432 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u0435 \u2013 \u0438\u0437\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435, \u043d\u0430 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c \u041f\u041e\u0421\u0422\u0415<\/span>.\u00bb<\/strong> [Hi, I\u2019m Rob, and I\u2019ll be your host for this flight\u2026 or rather, for this post.]<\/p>\n

Way back in 1989 when I began studying Russian as a first-year student at the University of Virginia, I also had some vague idea of going on to study medicine \u2013 which meant taking a LOT of \u00ab\u043e\u0431\u044f\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong>\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u044b<\/strong>\u043f\u043e<\/strong>\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u043c<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u043c<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [mandatory courses in the natural sciences], including chemistry and biology. As it turned out, \u00ab\u0437\u0430\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u043d\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435<\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044b<\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0438\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c<\/strong>\u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435<\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e<\/strong>, <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u043c<\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0438\u0437\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0446\u0438\u043a\u043b<\/strong>\u041a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u0441\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>\u0438<\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043e\u043a<\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043f\u043d\u044b<\/span>\u0445<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u0432<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [memorizing Russian verbs of motion was not as tedious as learning by heart the Krebs cycle<\/a> and the cranial nerves<\/a>] — so I ultimately chose to major in Russian, not biology. But I only came to that decision after taking many, MANY semester-hours of required science classes. So rather than letting that knowledge go to waste, it is my intention to inflict some of it on you \u2013 and in Russian!<\/p>\n

But don’t worry, this post will NOT be highly technical \u2013 \u00ab\u0412\u0430\u043c<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u043b\u043e<\/span><\/strong>!\u00bb [lucky thing for you!]. Rather, I intend it to be \u00ab\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0435<\/strong>\u0432\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>\u043a<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044e<\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0446\u0438\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [a quick introduction to Russian scientific vocabulary for the layman]. Or, as I call it:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab<\/strong>\u0425\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f<\/strong>\u041c\u0430<\/span>\u0433\u043b\u043e\u0432<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [Chemistry for Muggles]<\/p>\n

Why start with chemistry? Well, for one thing, some of the terminology used in \u00ab\u0445\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>[chemistry] is very helpful when you\u2019re talking about other realms of natural science, such as biology or geology or astronomy. For example, even if you know that \u201ckidney\u201d is \u00ab\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong>, you\u2019re not going to get very far talking about how the \u00ab\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0438<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [kidneys] remove nitrogenous wastes from the blood if you don\u2019t have the slightest clue how to say \u201cnitrogen\u201d!<\/p>\n

And for another thing, any discussion of chemistry will necessarily be guided by the organizing principles of the \u00ab\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f<\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u0431\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430<\/strong>\u0445\u0438\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445<\/strong>\u044d\u043b\u0435\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0432<\/strong>\u00bb(periodic table of the chemical elements<\/a>) \u2013 credit for which belongs to… a Russian!<\/p>\n

Although scientists before \u00ab\u041c\u0435\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0432<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [Mendeleev] had made efforts to arrange the chemical elements in a systematic way, \u00ab\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0440\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u0414\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0439<\/strong>\u0418\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0447<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>[good old Dmitri Ivanovich] is honored by history because his table not only presented a logical ordering of the elements already known in his time, but also correctly predicted the existence and characteristics of several elements \u00ab\u0434\u043e<\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u0445<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0440<\/strong>\u0435\u0449\u0451<\/span><\/strong>\u043d\u0435<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [that had not yet been discovered]!<\/p>\n

Professor Mendeleev\u2019s table begins with the Latin letter H (pronounced \u0430\u0448<\/em> in Russian). \u201cH\u201d is, strictly speaking, not a \u00ab\u0441\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [abbreviation] of the word \u201chydrogen\u201d, but a \u00ab\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043c<\/strong>\u0432<\/strong>\u043e\u043b\u00bb<\/strong> [symbol] for the element, and is used by Russian scientists even though their word \u00ab\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> looks and sounds nothing at all like \u201chydrogen.\u201d That\u2019s because the Greco-Latin name was taken into Russian by the process of calquing — that is, a root-by-root translation, which works like this: The Greek root hydro-<\/em> means “water”, which in Russian becomes \u00ab\u0432\u043e\u0434<\/strong>\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/span><\/strong>, while the root -gen<\/em> signifies “birth” — in Russian, \u00ab\u0440\u043e\u0434\u00bb<\/strong>. And thus \u201chydrogen\u201d is russianized to become \u00ab\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This simplest of elements, in its common, non-radioactive isotope, consists of a \u00ab\u044f\u0434\u0440\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/span><\/strong> [nucleus] with just \u00ab\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043d<\/strong> \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043d<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [proton], surrounded by a so-called \u00ab\u044d\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435<\/strong>\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u0431\u043b\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [electron cloud] containing a single \u00ab\u044d\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>[electron]. There are also radioactive forms of hydrogen that have special names: \u00ab\u0442\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0439<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [tritium], for instance, has \u00ab\u0434\u0432\u0430<\/strong> \u043d\u0435\u0439\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [two neutrons] in addition to the \u00ab\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d<\/strong> \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043d<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>[one proton] —<\/strong> is thus \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432<\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438<\/strong>\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0430<\/strong>\u0442\u044f\u0436\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0435<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [three times as heavy]. The number of protons in an atom\u2019s nucleus \u00ab\u043e\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0435\u0442<\/strong>\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0435<\/strong>\u0447\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong>\u044d\u043b\u0435\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [defines the \u201catomic number\u201d of a given element], while the total number of protons and neutrons determines its \u00ab\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0441<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [atomic weight]. Thus, the atomic number of hydrogen is 1. And as we continue our look at the elements, I\u2019ll identify each one using its \u00ab\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043c<\/strong>\u0432<\/strong>\u043e\u043b <\/strong>\u0438<\/strong>\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0435<\/strong>\u0447\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u0432<\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u043a\u0430\u0445<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> (symbol and atomic number in parentheses), like so: (1<\/sup>H).<\/p>\n

Hydrogen is not the only chemical element whose Russian name was derived by \u201ccalquing\u201d the neo-Latin scientific name. Let\u2019s look at the element \u00ab\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> (8<\/sup>O), which in English is \u201coxygen.\u201d The Greek oxus<\/em> means “sharp, sour, acidic”; in Russian, the adjective \u00ab\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> is \u201csour\u201d, the noun \u00ab\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0442\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/span><\/strong> means \u201cacid\u201d, and from this derives the adjective \u00ab\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong>, \u201cacidic\u201d. So \u201coxygen\u201d and \u00ab\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> both signify “that which gives birth to acid,” and the element got its name because many familiar acids do in fact contain oxygen. For example, there\u2019s CH3<\/sub>COOH, \u00ab\u0443<\/span><\/strong>\u043a\u0441\u0443\u0441\u043d\u0430\u044f<\/strong>\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0442\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/span><\/strong> [acetic acid] \u2013 which, \u00ab\u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/strong>\u0432<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0435<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>[when diluted with water in a solution] is known as common kitchen vinegar. Speaking of which, it\u2019s no mere coincidence that the Russian word for vinegar, \u00ab\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0441\u0443\u0441\u00bb<\/strong>, is pronounced very much like the Greek word oxus<\/em> \u2013 the words are cognates.<\/p>\n

This pattern is altered a little with the Russian word \u00ab\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> (6<\/sup>C) \u2013 literally “born from \u00ab\u0443<\/span><\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u043b\u044c<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [coal].” But for some reason, English speakers simply call this element “carbon”, from the ancient Latin word for “coal,\u201d though we might logically expect the name to be \u201ccarbogen\u201d! \u00ab\u0423\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434<\/strong>\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0435\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u044f\u0432\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong>\u043e\u0441\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0439<\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0439<\/strong>\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438<\/strong>\u043d\u0430<\/strong>\u0417\u0435\u043c\u043b\u0435<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/span><\/strong>[carbon compounds are the basis for all life on Earth], and there are so many of them that there is a branch of chemistry especially dedicated to their study: \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e<\/strong>\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u0445\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u044f\u00bb <\/strong>[organic chemistry], <\/strong>which particularly focuses on \u00ab\u0443<\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u044b\u00bb <\/strong>[hydrocarbons] \u2013 \u00ab\u0438\u0445<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0437\u044f<\/span><\/strong>\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u0441<\/strong>\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u044b<\/strong>, <\/strong>\u043a<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0443<\/strong>, <\/strong>\u0441<\/strong>\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u0440\u043e\u043c<\/strong>!\u00bb<\/strong> [don\u2019t confuse them with carbohydrates \u2013 for example, sugar!]And nowadays, of course, you can\u2019t open a newspaper without reading about \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u0433\u0430\u0437<\/strong>\u00bb <\/strong>[carbon dioxide, CO2<\/sub> ] <\/strong>and its relation to global climate change.<\/p>\n

Finally, the Russian word for nitrogen (7<\/sup>N) breaks this pattern altogether: \u00ab\u0421\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e<\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430<\/strong>\u0437\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u00bb <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u044f\u0442<\/strong>\u043a<\/strong>\u0433\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439<\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0435<\/strong>\u0441\u043e<\/strong>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u043c<\/strong> \u00ab\u0431\u0435\u0437 \u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438\u00bb\u00bb<\/strong> [The word azot<\/em> derives from a Greek phrase signifying “without life”], because \u00ab\u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span><\/strong> \u0443\u0447\u0451\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong>\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e<\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/strong>\u0430\u0437\u043e<\/span>\u0442<\/strong>\u0438\u0437<\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong>\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u0443\u0445\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [when 18-century scientists originally isolated nitrogen from ordinary air], they quickly noticed that mice died from asphyxiation when breathing pure nitrogen gas. The Greek-based name is slightly ironic, however — because while some nitrogen compounds such as \u00ab\u0430\u043c\u043c\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043a<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> (ammonia, NH3<\/sub>) are \u00ab\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong>\u044f\u0434\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u0435<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> (highly toxic), \u00ab\u0430\u0437\u043e<\/span>\u0442<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> is utterly essential to life.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041c\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u0443<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u043c<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> (by the way), if you\u2019re wondering where the word \u201cnitrogen\u201d came from \u2013 it reflects the fact that the element was discovered to be a component of the mineral saltpeter (KNO3<\/sub>), which in Latin is called niter<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s finish Part 1 of our \u00ab\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/strong>\u0445\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u0438<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> (chemistry lesson) with a quick look at two more elements that, along with the above four, \u00ab\u0441\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong>\u0443<\/strong>\u0431\u0438\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0432<\/strong>\u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0438\u0440\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043c\u0438<\/strong>\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438<\/strong>\u00bb\u00bb <\/strong>(are considered among biologists to be the \u201cbuilding blocks of life\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0424\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0444\u043e\u0440<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> (15<\/sup>P) is quite easy to remember because it sounds so much like its English translation. In its pure form known as \u00ab\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0439<\/strong>\u0444\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0444\u043e\u0440<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [white phosphorus], the element \u00ab\u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong> \u043f\u0440\u0438<\/strong>\u0440\u0435\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0446\u0438\u0438<\/strong>\u0441<\/strong>\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043c<\/strong>\u0438\u0437<\/strong>\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u0443\u0445\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [glows upon reaction with oxygen from the air] \u2013 and thus it got its name, from a Greek word that means \u00ab\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043e\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [carrier of light].<\/p>\n

Finally, the word \u00ab\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> has a strange double meaning \u2013 in the context of chemistry it means sulfur (16<\/sup>S), but it also refers to that waxy yellow gunk in your ears \u2013 which Russians call \u00ab\u0443\u0448\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f<\/strong>\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [literally \u201cear-sulfur\u201d]!<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for part 2, when we\u2019ll take a quick tour through \u00ab\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b<\/span>\u0435<\/strong> 106 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432<\/strong>\u0432<\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u0431\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0435<\/strong>\u041c\u0435\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> [the remaining 106 substances in Mendeleev\u2019s table] \u2013 but don\u2019t worry, because \u00ab\u0438\u0437<\/strong>\u044d<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u0438\u0445<\/strong>, <\/strong>\u043c\u044b<\/strong>\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u043c<\/strong>\u043e\u043f\u0443\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u0438<\/strong>\u0438\u0433\u043d\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/span><\/strong> [we\u2019ll be skipping over and ignoring the majority of them]!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

It’s been a while since we had our last guest post, but today is the day! Our guest writer today is Rob whom many of you know from the comments on the posts and invaluable contributions to our Fanpage discussions. Rob is what we, in Russia, call\u00a0\u00ab\u044d\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0438\u0442\u00bb [a polymath] aka \u00ab\u0445\u043e\u0434\u044f\u0447\u0430\u044f \u044d\u043d\u0446\u0438\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043f\u0435\u0434\u0438\u044f\u00bb [a walking encyclopedia]…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[178,8],"tags":[12788,1248,12789],"class_list":["post-1617","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-language","tag-mendeleev","tag-russian-language","tag-russian-scientists"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1617"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6234,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1617\/revisions\/6234"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}