4. The temperature ofthe conductor being raised, the motion of electrons also increases.
5. The nucleus of an ordinary hydrogen atom consists of one proton, with one electron moving around it.
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
whether conj. — ли (относится к последующему глаголу) whether ... or (not) — независимо от того + ли (относится к глаголу) as to whether — относительно того + л и (относится к глаголу)
Translate the sentences into Russian. Pay attention to the conjunction whether which corresponds to the Russian ли. Begin translation with the predicate.
Model: We are not sure whether this hypothesis is true. Мы не уверены, верна ли эта гипотеза.
1. Questions arise as to whether our usual belief about our Universe is strictly correct.
2. For example, one might ask whether the dimensionality of space and time can undergo evolution.
3. Whether our Universe is finite or infinite is still not clear.
4. Until now scientists have no evidence whether there exists any invisible matter in the Universe.
5. There is practically no evidence as to whether protons are stable or can decay.
6. Many scientists doubt whether the honeycomb hypothesis ofthe Universe structure is valid.
READING (6A)
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There are a few hypotheses concerning the structure and origin of the Universe. One of them will be presented in the passage below. Before reading the passage look at the block-scheme where some of the problems in studying the Universe are presented. Think what you know about each ofthe problems. Then read the passage. Find the ideas that were not known to you before reading.
Origin —> time/composition/evolution
The Universe <^--------- > Structure —> matter distribution
Matter —> principal constituents
THE UNIVERSE IS A HONEYCOMB
What docs our Universe look like? Docs it conform to the popularly held concept of a black abyss with islands of galaxies dispersed through it with no boundaries or shape? Apparently, it does not. "The Universe has a clear-cut •a met lire," says astronomer D.Sc. Jaan Einasto, who heads the sector of the physics ofgalaxicsat the Institute of Astrophysics and Atmospheric Physics ol'ihe Estonian Academy of Sciences. Imagine a honeycomb! This is not a hypothesis! Einasto says he has the evidence to prove it. What do wc know about the Universe? First, it came into being as a result of the " Big Bang" some 20 billion years ago. This creation was a fantastically quick, but precisely accurate process. In moments, the composition of all matter was formed: electrons, neutrons, protons, barions and other particles. Through subsequent expansion, this matter, which originally was in a state of Miperdcnsc and superhot plasma, cooled and condensed into the galaxies, •aars and planets.... Second, the "Big Bang" process continues. We arc still living in an expanding Universe. This is proved by the galaxies "running" away in different directions.
What was there before the bang, before this "beginning of all beginnings"? Science still has no answer, because all the known laws of physics only became meaningful instants after the bang.
What is in store? Shall wc continue to infinitely expand, or will the Universe, ■ ii some point, begin to contract again? The answer lies hidden in the matter contained in the Universe.
What does the "honeycomb" have to do with the Universe? — The structure of the Universe discovered explains a great deal. At the beginning and in the first stage of expansion, matter was distributed uniformly. Scientists came to understand this in the 60s, when the relic electromagnetic radiation which lemaincd since the blast was discovered. This radiation originally had the same temperature as matter and, therefore, expanded along with it. But now it has cooled off, just as matter itself, and the temperature of this radiation (weak ladiowaves) that pierces space is the same everywhere — something about 3° Kelvin (approximately —270°C). In other words uniformity is a major property ol'thc Universe.
And yet, at the very beginning, there were some processes which led to the formation of stars, galaxies, accumulations, i.e. to the condensation of matter. I hese non-uniformities show that a pattern something like a gigantic honeycomb with a diameter of 100-200 megaparsec (a megaparscc is 30 million light years) has been created. The "walls" of the cells are made of accumulations of galaxies, and where they meet, the accumulations are more numerous and the radiation in the X-range is more intensive. In other words, the comb is a real structure.
How is it that the freely moving galaxies evolved into this particular lormation? Is this chance occurrence? —The "rigidity" of the structure indicates that the "combs" themselves appeared initially and then galaxies. How can this paradox be explained? — Most likely the "combs" came into being when the galaxies were still in theirgascous state. To use an analogy, imagine two gas bubbles expanding towards each other. The more they expand, the greater the compression between them. At a certain moment they collide. This is when a certain flat formation originates between them, which Academician Yakov Zel'dovich called a "pancake" in his hypothesis which led to the idea of the cellular structure ofthe Universe. The joining of a multitude of these "pancakes" represents the walls of the gigantic "combs" in which the galaxies have accumulated.
Ifthere are "combs", one would assume there should be "honey"? Could it be that all the matter of the Universe went into the "walls" and the cells themselves arc empty? — There is no visible matter there. But it is very difficult to conceive of a physical process which would absolutely cleanse these tremendous cavities of everything. So, perhaps, we just don't sec this substance. We have to assume the existence of some invisible mass whose attraction influences the movement of galaxies, thus maintaining the structure ofthe "combs". This mass should be many times greater than the visible matter in the areas of accumulation, i.e. in the "walls". The density of the "invisible" substance should also be far higher.
Do scientists mean the neutrinos? — Yes, they do. Until recently it has been believed that the neutrino has no rest mass and moves with the speed of light, without interacting with anything in its path. But the sensational findings of a group of investigators led by V. Lyubimov (the Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics) show that the rest mass ofthe neutrino is larger than zero. This means that the neutrino, which literally floods the Universe is, regardless of its negligible mass, the principal matter of the Universe and hence the principal part of its entire mass. The conventional matter in the Universe comprises but only three percent. It is most likely that the "combs" themselves and the entire cellular structure ofthe Universe is the result of their force of gravity.
The future ofthe Universe is in its structure. We have to know whether it is finite. Within a "finite" Universe, the galaxies, after thousands of millions of years have passed, will inevitably begin a reverse process, and expansion will give way to contraction. Our Universe will again become a "dot" and everything will be repeated. And so on for ever and ever...
• Find English equivalents for the following Russian phrases.
общепринятое представление; масса покоя; буквально наводняет; сверхплотная плазма; распределялась однородно; гигантские соты; основное свойство; со времени взрыва; в мгновение ока; первая стадия расширения; на смену расширению придстежатие; навсегда; во много раз больше; появилась первоначально; невзирая на пренебрежимо малую массу; неизбежно начнет обратный процесс; всего ли:.л> 3%; общепринятая концепция; черпая бездна
• Mutch each word in Л with its synonym in B.
Л. relic, evidence, moment, to reverse, to conform, multitude, to occur, to come into being
H. instant, to correspond, something surviving from the past, a great
number, to turn in an opposite direction, to originate, proof, to happen
• Match each word in Л with its antonym in B.
Л. expansion, meaningful, conventional, relic, rigidity, to contract, to disagree
B. to expand, uncommon, modern, flexibility, meaningless, contraction, to conform
• Complete the sentences with information from the text or any other sources.
I. The passage deals with... .