1. To come into being — появиться

2. To show oneself to advantage — оказаться полезным, выгодным

SURPRISES ОГ "OPTICAL" METALLURGY

Scientists at the A. Baikov Institute of Metallurgy, USSR Academy of Sciences, have studied the effect of plasma formation—heating gas with a laser beam to a temperature of tens of thousands of degrees.

There are three openings in a massive steel chamber designed to withstand a pressure of up to 200 atmospheres. One is intended to let through the beam of a quantum la­ser generator, another makes it possible to film at high speed the process taking place within the chamber, and the third lights up" the plasma for the spectrometer.

Before the experiment starts, the target—a metal plate—is installed inside the chamber. Nitrogen is let into the chamber through a pipe from a high-pressure cylinder. Under the action of the laser beam a chemical reaction occurs between the nitrogen and the metal of

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the target and forms the hard armour of nitride.¹ And if nitrogen is replaced with carbonic acid or methane, car­bide is formed on the surface of the target as a result of the reaction.

In the course of experiments researchers have estab­lished that just one high energy laser pulse can form ni­tride or carbide on the metallic surface of the target, de­pending on the surrounding medium.

The nitrides and carbides of metals possess a very high degree of strength and heat resistance. That is why they have attracted the attention of specialists in industry. Scientists in metallurgy and specialists of production carry out joint work on using new technology to strength­en the parts of machines and mechanisms. In particular, new methods are being developed to strengthen the rings of drilling installations, the main parts of tractors and agricultural machines, and medical instruments.

Note

1. Hard armour of nitride — твердое нитрндное покрытие

WILL THE DESK COMPUTERS THINK INSTEAD OF US? (to be read after Lesson 18)

One of the main characteristics of the present-day global "computerization" in the West is the boom in domestic computers. The desk computer is expected to function as your personal librarian, carry out simple optimization computations, control your budget or diet, play several hundred games, etc. Further development of the computer is believed to lead to a situation in which most of the knowledge accepted by mankind will be stored in computers and made accessible ¹ to anyone with a home computer.

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Communication between man and computer will not replace man's creative abilities but will expand them. It is natural that the advent of minicomputers with ex­tensive memories and possibilities will lead to a new higher level in information culture. The creation of the domestic computer industry will allow a lot of problems in culture and education to be solved. Among other things, we shall be able to organize the educational process in the country's colleges and universities and also in the sys­tem of school education on a new basis.

3 № 1768

Working out computerized models ol materials studied by schoolchildren or students will allow us to see the re­sults of this instruction on a display screen, make under­standing of the material very simple and make the de­velopment of a creative approach to the studying of know­ledge and its application easier.

As for⁸ the information in various traditional branches of knowledge, the application of electronics will allow side by side with ⁸ the traditional printed material to have the contents of books, magazines and articles fed into the computer memory, where this will be analysed, arranged in a certain order, stored and produced on re­quest ⁴ as a printed computer programme.

Knowledge is the most valuable wealth of our times. And minicomputers will help to make it accessible to everyone.

Notes