How to speed up chemical reactions (and get a date) - Aaron Sams

加速化學反應的秘訣 (並獲得約會對象)

譯者: Jessie Lee 審譯者: Jacy Su

（音樂）

這是我們的化學家 – 哈莉特

Meet our chemist, Harriet.

She has a chemical reaction that needs to occur more quickly.

她需要加速一個化學反應

A chemist has some processes at her disposal

化學家通常有一些可以採用的程序

that can help her speed up her reaction,

來加速化學反應

她知道五個方法

and she knows of five ways.

And to remember them,

為了記住這五個方法

she thinks back to her days as a high school student,

她回想她中學時期

and the day she got a date for the dance.

遇到舞伴的那天

中學時的哈莉特有天 正利用下課時間讀書

Harriet was in high school, studying between classes.

She had lost track of time and was going to be late to class.

讀著讀著忘了時間，趕不上下堂課

Unbeknownst to her,

她絕沒料到 快遲到的哈洛德也正巧在轉角處

Harold, who was just around the corner, was running late, too.

They both sprinted to class

他們倆都奮力衝向教室

and, as it happened, sprinted directly into one another.

說時遲那時快，他們直接撞在一起

Now, this was no small collision.

現在看來，那可不是個小小的碰撞

They ran squarely into one another in such a way

這一撞，把哈莉特手上的書都撞掉了

that he knocked the books right out of her hand.

哈洛德：「對不起，讓我幫妳把書撿起來」

"I'm sorry," he said. "Let me help you with your books."

He kindly helped her re-collect her belongings,

他和善地把她的東西撿起來

and politely offered to walk her to class.

還很紳士地陪她走到教室

你絕對猜不到那年 誰和誰去參加舞會

And you'll never guess who went together to the dance later that year.

沒錯，就是這兩位

Yup, those two.

So as we can see from this example,

所以囉，由此可見

找到舞伴的秘訣就是

the key to getting a date for the dance is to collide with someone

和某人相撞而且還要把他們手中的書撞掉

and knock the books out of their hands.

現在你大概知道 不是隨便撞就可以撞出一個舞伴吧

Now, you're probably already aware

that not all collisions lead to dates for the dance,

好加在

thankfully.

這碰撞呢必須有兩大特性

The collisions must have two important characteristics:

第一：正確的角度，可以把書撞掉的角度

One, correct orientation that allows books to be knocked from one's hands;

第二：足夠的力量，足夠把書撞掉的力量

and two, enough energy to knock the books out.

事發不久後

Shortly after this incident,

哈莉特決定把經過通通告訴她的化學老師 也就是我

Harriet decided to tell me, her chemistry teacher, all about it.

I noticed some interesting parallels

我發現這和化學反應有些有趣的共同點

between her story and chemical reaction rates,

我發現這和化學反應有些有趣的共同點

which happened to be what she was studying in the hallway

這正是那天她撞上 哈洛德之前在走廊讀到的

the day of the collision.

我們決定一起執行兩個任務

Together, we decided to set out on two missions.

Harriet wanted to help all chemistry students and chemists

哈莉特想幫助所有化學課的學生

remember how to speed up the rate of chemical reactions

還有化學家們記住加速化學反應的方法

and I, being the nice guy that I am,

而我這樣的好人，我的任務是

decided to make it my mission to help create educational environments

幫助建立一個學習環境

有更多碰撞掉書發生的學習環境

in which more book-dropping collisions can take place

to increase future chemists' chances of getting a date for the dance.

來增加未來化學家

得到舞伴的機會

In order to facilitate this improved dance-date-getting process,

為了促進這個加強版的舞伴速配過程

I propose five changes to all schools

我建議所有的學校要有五項改革

that parallel Harriet's five ways to increase chemical reaction rates.

這和哈莉特加速化學反應的方法類似

第一：我建議走廊要變窄

First, I propose that we shrink the size of the hallways.

This will make it more difficult to safely navigate the hallways

要安全地在走廊上遊蕩就更難了

這比起寬敞的走廊 會製造更多碰撞的機會

and will cause more collisions than in larger hallways.

一旦碰撞次數增加

And by increasing the number of collisions,

we increase the likelihood

其中一些有正確定位、有足夠能量的碰撞

that some of those collisions will have the correct alignment

會增加速配的機率

and enough energy to create a date to the dance.

Now, chemically speaking,

化學上的說法，等同於

this is equivalent to lowering the volume of a reaction vessel

減少反應容器或反應混和的體積

or a reaction mixture.

這樣一來，粒子與粒子間更近了

In doing so, the individual particles are closer together,

就更容易發生碰撞

and more collisions will occur.

越多的碰撞

More collisions means a greater likelihood

就提高了具備適合能量 與配置的碰撞的可能性

that collisions with the appropriate energy and configuration will happen.

第二：我建議增加學校的人數

Second, I propose increasing the overall population of the school.

More students equals more collisions.

學生人數與碰撞次數成正比

藉由增加碰撞的粒子數

By increasing the number of particles available for collision,

製造一個容易發生碰撞的環境

we create an environment where more collisions can take place.

第三：我們必須縮短課與課間的時間

Third, we must reduce the time allowed between classes --

哎呀，就減半好了！

heck, let's just cut it in half.

In doing so, students will need to move more quickly

這麼一來，學生必須更迅速地趕下一堂課

to get from one class to the next.

增加速度可以確保碰撞發生時

This increase in velocity will help make sure

collisions have the appropriate amount of energy necessary

有足夠的能量把書撞掉

to ensure book-dropping.

這點和提高反應混和的溫度相似

This is analogous to increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture.

這點和提高反應混和的溫度相似

Higher temperature means particles are moving faster.

溫度越高，粒子移動速度越快

Faster-moving particles means more energy,

粒子移動速度越快，就有越多的能量

and a greater likelihood of the reaction-causing collision.

發生碰撞的可能性也越高

Fourth, students must stop traveling in packs.

第四：學生別再集體行動了

因為集體行動時，外圍的同學

By traveling in packs, the students on the outside of the pack

insulate those in the middle from undergoing any collisions.

會阻止中間的同學發生碰撞

分開走的話，每個同學暴露在外的面積變大

By splitting up, each student has more area exposed

that is available for a collision from a passing student.

和路過同學碰撞的機會也變多

When particles travel in packs, the surface area is very small,

當粒子成群移動時

總表面積變小，且只有外圍的粒子會發生碰撞

and only the outside particles can collide.

However, by breaking up the clumps into individual particles,

然而，把粒子群個別拆散

the total surface area is increased,

總面積就會增加

and each particle has an exposed surface that can react.

每個粒子都有可以產生化學反應的接觸面

Fifth and finally, we hire a matchmaker.

第五點也是最後一點：我們要雇個媒婆

Is this colliding and book-dropping too violent?

又是相撞、又是掉書的，太暴力了嗎？

Is there an easier way to get a date that requires less initial energy?

找約會對象有沒有 比較不費力、簡單一點的方法呢？

Then a matchmaker will help with this.

那媒婆就派上用場了！

The matchmaker makes it easier for a couple to get together,

有媒婆從中撮和就更容易成雙成對了

by coordinating the match.

有媒婆從中撮和就更容易成雙成對了

媒婆就像催化劑

Our matchmaker is like a catalyst.

化學催化劑的作用是減低活化能量

Chemical catalysts function by lowering the activation energy --

換言之，就是減低 誘發化學反應所需的能量

in other words, by lowering the energy required to start a reaction.

They do this by bringing two particles together

目的在於讓兩個粒子碰頭

and orienting them correctly in space so that the two can meet

導引它們正確的方位、讓它們

在正確的結構配置下接觸並產生化學反應

at the correct configuration and allow a reaction to take place.

結論是：

So, to sum up: if a future chemist wants a date for the dance,

如果有化學家想找舞伴

he must collide with another person

他必須和另一人相撞並把他的書撞掉

and knock the books out of their hands.

如果化學家要製造化學反應

And if a chemist wants to make a chemical reaction occur,

粒子相撞的方位要正確

the particles must collide in the correct orientation

with an appropriate amount of energy.

且要有適當的能量

And both of these processes can be accelerated,

要加速以上兩個過程 我說的五個方法都適用

using the five methods I've described.