{"id":2413,"date":"2011-11-07T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T08:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2413"},"modified":"2014-07-17T17:31:20","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T17:31:20","slug":"chemistry-for-muggles-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/chemistry-for-muggles-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Chemistry for Muggles &#8211; Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>This is the long-awaited third part of the Chemistry for Muggles by our guest blogger, Rob.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Throughout <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-chemistry-for-muggles\/\">Part 1<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/chemistry-for-muggles-part-2\/\">Part 2<\/a>, I&#8217;ve referred back to the \u00ab<strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u0442\u0430\u0431\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430 <\/strong><strong>\u0445\u0438\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445 <\/strong><strong>\u044d\u043b\u0435\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0432 <\/strong><strong>\u041c\u0435\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0432\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Mendeleev&#8217;s periodic table of the chemical elements]. Mendeleev&#8217;s most important brainstorm was that elements with similar properties could be grouped into vertical columns called \u00ab<strong>\u0433\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0443<\/span>\u043f\u043f\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [groups] and horizontal rows called \u00ab<strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u043e\u0434\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [periods] &#8212; hence the table&#8217;s name.<\/p>\n<p>And in this third and final section, we&#8217;ll take another look at Mendeleev&#8217;s concept of vertical &#8220;groups&#8221; &#8212; and how they serve to organize elements within the table according to similar physical properties.<\/p>\n<p>So, to continue our chemistry lesson, let\u2019s take a few steps back from the heavyweight \u00ab<strong>\u0441<\/strong><strong>\u0432\u0438\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0446\u00bb<\/strong> [lead] to the second-lightest element, located in\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>Group 18: \u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0411\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0435 (<\/strong><strong>\u0418\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0435) <\/strong><strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u00bb [<\/strong><em>Noble or Inert Gases]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The second-lightest element after \u00ab<strong>\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u00bb <\/strong>[hydrogen] is <strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0439<\/strong> [helium]- whose name comes from the Greek word for the sun, <em>helios<\/em>, because back in 1868, astronomers were able to deduce that the sun contained a then-unknown element &#8212; which turned out to be <strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0439<\/strong>, and which was later discovered to exist on Earth in very small amounts.<\/p>\n<p>Oddly enough, however, it wasn&#8217;t until 1925 that a brilliant young doctoral student named <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cecilia_Payne\">Cecilia Payne<\/a> <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u0443\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u0434\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0437<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c, \u0432 \u0441\u0432\u043e<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0439 \u0434\u0438\u0441\u0441\u0435\u0440\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u0438, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442 \u043f\u043e \u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0435\u0439 \u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0438\u0437 \u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [she managed to prove, in her dissertation, that the Sun is composed mainly of hydrogen]. Surprisingly, as late as the mid-1920s, nearly all astronomers assumed that the Sun and other stars were formed mostly of metals such as \u00ab<strong>\u0436\u0435\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0437\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [iron].<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, \u00ab<strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> is the first in the vertical group of non-reactive elements that are sometimes called \u00ab<strong>\u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [the noble gases] because, just like stereotypical aristocrats, \u00ab<strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> and \u00ab<strong>\u043d\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [neon] and their heavier siblings in this group \u00ab<strong>\u043e\u0442\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0442 \u0441\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044f<\/span>\u0437\u0435\u0439 \u0441 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [refuse to bond with other atoms].<\/p>\n<p><strong>Group 1: <\/strong><strong>\u0429\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0447\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044b<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u041c\u0435\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043b\u044b <\/strong><em>(&#8220;Alkali Metals&#8221;)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>At the extreme left of the table is \u00ab<strong>\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [lithium] &#8211; the lightest element in the vertical category known as <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0449\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0447\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044b<\/span>\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043b\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [alkali metals], which are all highly unstable in their pure metallic form and burn explosively in contact with water.<\/p>\n<p>The Russian name of the alkali metal group derives from \u00ab<strong>\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [lye], which in modern English signifies either sodium hydroxide, NaOH, or potassium hydroxide, KOH. More generally, the noun \u00ab<strong>\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0447\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> means a &#8220;base&#8221; (as in the opposite of <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [acid]) or &#8220;alkaline substance&#8221; &#8212; for example, any \u00ab<strong>\u0432\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> [aqueous solution] with a pH higher than 7 is a \u00ab<strong>\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0447\u044c\u00bb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Moving directly downward from \u00ab<strong>\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>, we find sodium, whose Russian name \u00ab<strong>\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> ultimately comes (by way of Latin and Hebrew) from the ancient Egyptian root <em>n-t-r<\/em>, meaning &#8212; guess what? &#8212; \u00ab<strong>\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u043a\u00bb<\/strong>!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u00ab<strong><em>\u0413\u0438\u0434\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0441\u0438\u0434 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u044f\u00bb <\/em><\/strong><em>also known as<strong> \u00ab<\/strong><\/em><strong><em>\u043a\u0430\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0441\u043e\u0434\u0430\u00bb <\/em><\/strong><em>[Sodium hydroxide or caustic soda] \u00a0is a very strong \u00ab<\/em><strong><em>\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0447\u044c\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><em> (&#8220;alkaline substance&#8221;). The adjective \u00ab<\/em><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0434\u043a\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><em> comes from the verb \u00ab<\/em><strong><em>\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><em> [to eat], and can also be used figuratively: \u00ab<\/em><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u041e<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0440 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0423\u0430\u0439\u043b\u044c\u0434 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0431\u044b\u043b <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u0434\u043a\u0438\u043c <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044e<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043c\u00bb [<\/em><\/strong><em> Oscar Wilde was famous for (his) biting\/caustic humor.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Historically, some types of lye were produced by cooking <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0437\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [wood ashes] in a huge metal \u00ab<strong>\u043a\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u00bb<\/strong> [cauldron; metal cooking pot], which serves to explain the Russian name, by way of Arabic, of the element that we find right below sodium &#8212; \u00ab<strong>\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [potassium].<\/p>\n<p><strong>Group 17: \u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0413\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb <\/strong><em>[Halogens]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The alkali metals\u2019 equally reactive counterparts, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [halogens] are at the far right of the table. This group includes \u00ab<strong>\u0445\u043b\u043e\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> [chlorine] and \u00ab<strong>\u0439\u043e\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [iodine] whose names in both Russian and English allude to the pale colors of their gaseous forms: <em>chlor-<\/em> means &#8220;green&#8221; in Greek, while <em>iodes<\/em> is Greek for the purple spring flowers known as \u00ab<strong>\u0444\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [violets].<\/p>\n<p>If the inert gases such as helium and neon are the aloof \u00ab<strong>\u0434\u0432\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [noblemen] of the periodic table, then the alkali metals might be called \u00ab<strong>\u0438\u0437\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [perverted libertines], while the halogens are \u00ab<strong>\u0431\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044b<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0448\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044e<\/span>\u0445\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [shameless sluts], who will associate with just about any substance, often in a violently corrosive way, which is why the lightest and most reactive member of the halogen group, fluorine is called \u00ab<strong>\u0444\u0442\u043e\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> in Russian. In Greek, <em>phtor<\/em> signifies \u00ab<strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0440\u0443\u0448<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [destruction]!<\/p>\n<p>Yet when an alkali metal and a halogen get together, the resulting \u00ab<strong>\u0441\u043e\u0435\u0434\u0438\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438<\/strong><strong>\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [compound] is typically quite stable and well-behaved, including \u00ab<strong>\u0445\u043b\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0434 \u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [sodium chloride], more commonly known as ordinary \u00ab<strong>\u0441\u043e\u043b\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [salt]. And this is the source of the term &#8220;halogens&#8221;, which comes from a Greek phrase that can either mean &#8220;born from salt&#8221; or &#8220;gives birth to salt&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, you couldn\u2019t be reading any of this on your computer without the Group 14 element \u00ab<strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [silicon], whose compounds are used nowadays for electronic circuits and also in a huge assortment of specialized plastics collectively described with the term \u00ab<strong>\u0441\u0438\u043b\u0438\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [silicone &#8211; note the &#8220;e&#8221; at the end]. <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u041a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb <\/strong>got its name from \u00ab<strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [flint], the mineral from which it was first isolated.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>In English, &#8220;silicon&#8221; (the pure element) is frequently confused with &#8220;silicone&#8221; (any of various forms of plastic based on compounds of silicon). But the Russian names are impossible to mix up!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Not only is silicon essential for microchips and fake breasts, it&#8217;s almost (though not quite!) as chemically versatile as \u00ab<strong>\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [carbon], which sits directly above it in Group 14. Because of the behavioral similarities between the two elements, \u00ab<strong>\u0431\u0438\u043e\u0445<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [biochemists] as well as \u00ab<strong>\u043f\u0438\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438-<\/strong><strong>\u0444\u0430\u043d\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> \u00a0[science fiction writers] have long speculated about the possibility of \u00ab<strong>\u0438\u043d\u043e\u043f\u043b\u0430\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u0436<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438 <\/strong><strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong><strong>\u043e\u0441\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u0432\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [extraterrestrial life based on silicon instead of carbon].<\/p>\n<p><strong>Everything Glows: A few facts about \u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043e\u0430\u043a\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb <\/strong><em>[radioactivity]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0412<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043c\u0443\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [bismuth] is the heaviest element that is generally NOT radioactive, although bismuth does have \u00ab<strong>\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043e\u0430\u043a\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0438\u0437\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [radioactive isotopes]. But once we get past bismuth, \u00ab<strong>\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043e\u0430\u043a\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [radioactivity] is the rule, not the exception.<\/p>\n<p>None of the radioactive elements were isolated and named until in recent centuries &#8212; for example, \u00ab<strong>\u0443\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [uranium] was discovered in 1789, and named in honor of the planet \u00ab<strong>\u0423\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [Uranus], which was found by astronomers just eight years earlier. But most of the other radioactive elements weren&#8217;t found till the 20th century, and thus all of them are known by international, Latin-sounding names that are practically the same in English in Russian.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, we won&#8217;t talk in detail about any of the radioactive elements individually, but to say just a few words \u00ab<strong>\u043e <\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043e\u0430\u043a\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438, \u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong><strong>\u044f\u0432\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438\u00bb <\/strong>[about radioactivity as a phenomenon]. The radioactivity of an isotope is affected by its <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0432\u0435\u0441\u00bb<\/strong> [atomic weight]. For example, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0443\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d-238\u00bb<\/strong> is a weakly radioactive and stable variety of \u00ab<strong>\u0443\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong>, while \u00ab\u0443\u0440\u0430\u043d-235\u00bb is a slightly lighter but far more radioactive isotope that can be used for atomic bombs, and also for power generation in \u00ab<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u044d\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0446\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [nuclear plant].<\/p>\n<p>However, not all radioactivity is equal! For example, \u00ab<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u043b\u044c\u0444\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [an alpha particle] is quite heavy and almost incapable of penetrating solid matter, even regular \u00ab<strong>\u0430\u043b\u044e\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u0432\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u0444\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [aluminum foil]. Conversely, \u00ab<strong>\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [beta-particle] is a high-speed electron that passes through many solid materials that can easily block alpha radiation. Finally, \u00ab<strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u043c\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u043b\u0443\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [gamma rays] aren&#8217;t particles of matter at all. They&#8217;re a form of <strong>\u044d\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043c\u0430\u0433\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0438\u0437\u043b\u0443\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0441 <\/strong><strong>\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0434\u043b\u0438\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0432\u043e\u043b\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u044b<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb [electromagnetic radiation with\u00a0 very short wave lengths&#8221;), and for this reason, gamma-radiation \u00ab<strong>\u043b\u0435\u0433\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span> <\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 <\/strong><strong>\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u0437 <\/strong><strong>\u0441\u0432\u0438\u043d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0435<\/span>\u0446<\/strong> [it easily penetrates even through lead]. Of course, all three forms of \u00ab<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> are dangerous and \u00ab<strong>\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0443\u0442 <\/strong><strong>\u0432\u044b\u0437\u044b\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0435\u043d\u0435\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 <\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u0438 <\/strong><strong>\u0438\u043b\u0438 <\/strong><strong>\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (&#8220;they can cause genetic mutations or cancer&#8221;), but \u03b1 -radiation is somewhat easier to protect oneself against.<\/p>\n<p>And that concludes our three-part survey of the chemical elements! But, once again, here&#8217;s a <strong>trivia question<\/strong>: Although we&#8217;ve discussed quite a few elements whose names in Russian are of Slavic origin, there are at least two elements whose <em>international, <\/em>neo-Latin names are also derived from Slavic sources.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hint:<\/strong> They&#8217;re both very heavy and radioactive!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<img width=\"225\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2011\/11\/Mendeleev.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><p>This is the long-awaited third part of the Chemistry for Muggles by our guest blogger, Rob. Throughout Part 1 and Part 2, I&#8217;ve referred back to the \u00ab\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u0442\u0430\u0431\u043b\u0438\u0446\u0430 \u0445\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u044d\u043b\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0432 \u041c\u0435\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0435\u0432\u0430\u00bb [Mendeleev&#8217;s periodic table of the chemical elements]. Mendeleev&#8217;s most important brainstorm was that elements with similar properties could be grouped into vertical columns&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/chemistry-for-muggles-part-3\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":2416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[117460,1131,12788,117461,117462,12789],"class_list":["post-2413","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","tag-chemistry-in-russian","tag-learning-russian","tag-mendeleev","tag-periodic-table-in-russian","tag-russian-names-for-chemical-elements","tag-russian-scientists"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2413","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=2413"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6376,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2413\/revisions\/6376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}