The strengths and weaknesses of acids and bases - George Zaidan and Charles Morton

酸碱的强弱性 - 乔治齐达内 查尔斯莫顿

翻译人员: XIN YUE 校对人员: Shi Tan

Acids and bases are everywhere.

酸与碱与我们的生活密切相关。

They're used to make foods,

它们被用来制造食物，

soaps and detergents,

香皂，清洁剂，

fertilizers,

化肥，

explosives,

炸药

dyes,

染料，

plastics,

pesticides,

塑料，

农药，

even paper.

甚至纸张。

Our stomachs are very acidic.

我们的胃里是强酸性的。

Our blood is slightly basic.

血液是弱碱性的。

Our proteins are made up of amino acids,

蛋白质是由氨基酸组成的，

and the letters in our genetic code,

那些在我们基因密码中的字母，

those As, Ts, Cs, and Gs,

诸如A,T,C和G，

are all bases.

都是碱性的。

You were probably taught

可能你已经学过

how acids and bases behave

酸分子和碱分子

on the molecular level.

如何反应。

You were probably never taught

但是，你可能从不知道

that a long time ago,

在比古希腊时代

like ancient Greek ago,

还久远的时候，

before anyone knew about atoms or molecules,

在还没有人知道原子或者分子之前，

acids and bases were defined

酸和碱的定义已经因

by how they behaved.

他们的反应特点确定了。

Acids tasted sour and corroded metal.

酸的味道酸，腐蚀金属。

Bases felt slippery

碱触感滑

and could somehow counteract acids.

并且能神奇的中和酸。

When molecules dissolved in water interact,

当分子溶于水中相互作用时，

they are exchanging two main currencies

他们会交换

with their surroundings:

两种主要流通物质和其周围的物质：

protons, also known as hydrogen ions,

质子，也叫做氢离子，

and electrons.

和电子。

Depending on how a molecule is composed or shaped,

在与其它的成员交换过程中，

it may be willing to donate or accept

分子是给出质子或电子还是接受，

either protons or electrons

取决于它们的分子结构

with some other community member.

是如何组成和形成的。

And some molecules are far more aggressive than others

有一些分子不论是给出或是接受时

when it comes to donating or accepting either currency.

都比其他的分子强势许多。

Remember that protons are positively charged

质子带正电荷

and electrons are negatively charged.

电子是带负电荷的。

So, if a molecule is willing to give up a proton,

所以，要是一个分子愿意放弃一个质子

that's not too different

就和这个分子愿意接收一个电子

from it being willing to accept an electron --

是一样的效果--

either way it's becoming more negatively charged.

不论哪个方式，都使分子带更多负电。

Other molecules are willing to accept a proton

其它的分子要接收一个质子

or give up an electron.

或放弃一个电子。

These are becoming more positively charged.

那它们就会变成正电。

Some substances are so aggressive

一些物质十分强势地

about donating their protons

给出质子。

that when they get a chance,

一旦得到机会，

all of the molecules in a sample

采样中所有的分子

will dump a proton,

都会向周围的水分子中

sometimes more than one,

扔掉一个质子，

to the surrounding water molecules.

有时候扔掉的还不止一个。

We call these strong acids.

我们称这种分子强酸。

Meanwhile, some compounds are so ready

同时，一些混合物迫不及待的

to accept a proton

需要接收一个质子

that they won't wait around,

它们不会温和等待，

they'll just rip one off water,

反而会从有两个质子的水中

which usually has two protons

掠夺一个，

but is generous enough to hang out with just one.

不过，水很大方，只有一个质子也可以。

We call these strong bases.

我们叫这种分子为强碱。

Other acids and bases are not so strong.

其余的酸和碱没有那么强。

They may donate just a few of their protons to water

它们只往水中给出，或接受

or accept just a few protons from water,

几个质子，

but most of their molecules stay exactly the same.

但是大多数分子都保持不变。

If left alone in water,

如果他们被单独置于水中，

they'll reach some equilibrium point

当百分之一或万分之一的分子在水中

where maybe only one out of a hundred

交换了流通物，

or one out of ten thousand of their molecules

它们就会达到

has exchanged currency with water.

一个交换平衡点。

As you might guess,

而你可能会认为

we label these acids and bases weak,

我们把这种酸和碱定为弱酸，弱碱，

but in the common sense of the word,

但是，常识是，

they're not weak.

它们不属于弱酸。

The vinegar in your salad dressing

沙拉中的调味醋，

that you can smell from across the room,

味道大得在房间的另一边都能闻到，

that is a weak acid.

它是弱酸。

The ammonia you spray on glass

你为了让玻璃干净明亮

for a streak-free shine,

喷上去的氨水，

that is a weak base.

是弱碱。

So, it doesn't take much to be an active player

所以，在化学界的经济里，

in the chemical economy.

活跃分子并不难当。

Most acid-base chemistry takes place in water,

大多数的酸碱化学反应都在水中发生，

which can act as either an acid or a base,

像24小时的分子柜员机一样，

accepting deposits and enabling withdrawals

酸提供存款，

like a 24-hour molecular ATM.

碱提取存款。

And when a proton-deposit customer,

当质子提供客户

that's an acid,

酸，

and a proton-withdrawal customer,

和质子提取客户，

the base,

碱，

shop at the same time,

同时消费，

their net effect on water's account

它们在水的账户

may cancel out,

收支相互抵消了，

and we call this neutralization.

我们称之为中和作用。

Now, certain molecules can behave

现在，一些分子在没有水的情况下

as acids or bases without water,

也可以发生酸、碱反应，

but that's another story.

这另当别论。

Let's end by saluting water

让我们以

as the resilient and fair banker

向对于酸、碱来说，好比公平又恒久的银行家一样的水致敬

for acids and bases.

来结束本次内容。

It's always open for business,

因为它总是开放服务，

doesn't charge interest,

不收利息，

and will never foreclose on your molecules,

更好的是

which is more than I can say for [bleep].

永远不会将分子法拍。

Waah-waah.

哇-哇。