Pioneers of Russian electrical engineering

Today more and more is done by electricity. It is used everywhere: in our plants and factories, in the fields, on trans­port, and in our homes. Electricity gives us music and news by radio. It does hundreds of other things. The wide application of electricity in the national economy and everyday life has become possible thanks to the rapid growth of electrical engi­neering, which began in the second half of the 19th century. The pioneers of Russian electrical engineering were Yablochkov and Lodygin — two great Russian scientists and inventors. Yablochkov's electric candle which had been called "Russian candle", "Russian Light" was the beginning of the practical application of the electric arc for lighting purposes. Working at his invention, Yablochkov recognized the advantages of the a.c. He was the first to design the a.c. transformer and put it into practice. Yablochkov's great technical achievements opened a way for a much more efficient source of light — the incandes­cent filament lamp. The idea of this lamp belongs to Lodygin. He devoted almost all his life to the perfection of his invention. He was never satisfied with his achievements. He constructed a number of incandescent lamps. He carried out a series of experiments to find the best metal filaments with a high melt­ing point. It was his idea to introduce tungsten filaments in vacuum. This invention was of world importance. It gave rise to a real advance in the field of electric lighting.

Like many other scientists and inventors Yablochkov and Lodygin got neither support nor help from the tsarist govern­ment. They died in great need.

 

Words and word combinations:

electrical engineering – электротехника

a.c. = alternating current – переменный ток

to open a way for – проложить путь

incandescent (filament) lamp – лампа накаливания

electric arc – электрическая дуга

advantage – преимущество, польза

to carry out – выполнить, повести

to give rise to – дать начало

like many other scientists – подобно многим другим ученым

neither… nor… - ни… ни….

great need – большая нужда

perfection - совершенствование

application – применение

to devote – посвящать

tungsten – вольфрам (W)

support –поддержка

 

ASSIGNMENT:

 

1.Выберите правильный перевод выделенных слов:

 

1. invention – решение, открытие, изобретение, сравнение.

2. numerous – целый, многочисленный, похожий, обычный.

3. almost - почти, часто, вместе, просто

4. always – среди, иногда, всегда, быстро

5. great – значительный, великий, большой, огромный

6. application – приспособление, применение, предположение

7. achievement – соответствие, выполнение, достижение.

8. purpose - задача, защита, цель, занятие

2.Напишите четыре типа вопросов (общий, альтернативный, разделительный специальный) к следующим предложениям:

1. Electricity gives us music and news by radio.

2. He devoted all his life to the perfection of his invention.

3. This invention was of world importance.

 

3.Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

 

3. Is electricity used everywhere nowadays?

4. Who were the pioneers of Russian electrical engineering?

5. Who was the first to design the a.c. transformer?

6. The idea of incandescent lamp belongs to Lodygin, doesn’t it?

7. Did Russian scientists get support and help from the tsarist government?

8. Did they live and die in great need?

 

Кратко перескажите текст.

 

EXERCISES:

1. Подберите правильный перевод для слов в левой колонке:

1. электротехника 1. mean

2. теплотехника 2. electrical engineering

3. энергетика 3. heat engineering

4. электростанция 4. make contribution to

5. играть роль 5. power engineering

6. сделать вклад 6. power plant

7. иметь место 7. play a part

8. означать 8. take place

 

Напишите все типы вопросов (общий, альтернативный, разделительный, специальный) к следующим предложениям.

 

1. We solve important problems in the field of physics.

2. He writes articles on the development of science and technology.

 

 

LESSON 4.

2JAMES CLERK MAXWELL.

 

James Clerk Maxwell, a Scotsman, was born in Edinburgh in 1831. He finished school early and graduated from university when most boys were only ready to enter high school.

At fifteen he was already well-known as a person who had written some papers on scientific subjects. As well as being a great electrician, he was a great mathematician.

Clerk Maxwell stated that electricity causes waves in the ether, which fills all space, and that light and heat are caused by these electric waves, which penetrate all matter. This is the famous electromagnetic theory, on which he wrote a book. Maxwell died in 1870.

Some years later, the subject was taken up by another scientist - Heinrich Rudolph Hertz, who went deeply into Clerk Maxwell's wave theory of light and electricity and made many experiments in an attempt to prove Maxwell's theory. He was entirely successful. With simple instruments he not only detected the electric waves in space and measured their velocity, but proved the actual physical existence of the electromagnetic waves whose existence was proved by Maxwell's mathematical equations.

 

WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS:

 

to graduate (from) - окончивать высшее учебное заведение

to enter – поступать (в институт), входить

scientific – научный

to state – утверждать, заявлять

to cause – вызывать, заставлять, причинять

ether – эфир

light – свет

heat – тепло

wave – волна

to penetrate – проникать

velocity – скорость

to detect – обнаруживать

to measure – измерять

existence – существование

to prove – доказывать

equation - уравнение

to go deeply into something - серьёзно (глубоко) изучить

in an attempt - зд. п ытаясь

entirely – полностью

to fill – наполнять

 

ASSIGNMENT:

 

1.Прочитайте правильно следующие слова и выражения и переведите на русский язык:

to be born, to graduate from, university, light, to penetrate, matter, famous electromagnetic theory, electrician, mathematician, electric waves, scientist, experiment, instrument, physical existence, entirely successful, to fill.