时差N小时 箱子底部的玉米薄片为什么不会被压碎(上)

Why don’t the cornflakes at the bottom of the box get crushed by the weight of the flakes² on top? That’s the question on this Moment of Science. Research by mathematician³ Bruce Pitman of the State University of New York at Buffalo⁴ indicated there are two factors that protect the bottom flakes: their arrangement in the box, and friction⁵. Some of the flakes bear the weight of several, some lean against neighbors, are wedged in between other flakes, their rough edges catch on adjacent flakes, or they’re pressed against the walls of the container. These interactions create friction between flakes, and between flakes and the wall. This friction allows each flake¹ to partially⁶ support another. The interlocking of the flakes transfers the weight in several directions, with most of it ultimately ending up at the walls of the box rather than the bottom.

为什么没有在盒子底部的玉米片没有被顶部的玉米片压坏？这就是今天的科学问题。布法罗纽约州立大学的数学家布鲁斯皮特曼所做的研究表明，保护底部的玉米片有两个因素：他们安排在箱子中的排列和摩擦。一些薄片承担几个薄片的重要，一些薄片紧靠着旁边的薄片，是在其他片之间的楔形，有些挤出进其他的拨片中，粗糙的边缘和相邻的薄片接触，或是被容器壁挤压。这些相互作用增加了薄片之间的摩擦，以及薄片和容器壁之间的摩擦。这种摩擦让每个薄片有一部分支撑另一个。薄片环环相扣将重量向不同方向转移，其中大部分重量落在容器壁上，而不是容器底部。

1 flake   

v.使成薄片；雪片般落下；n.薄片

参考例句：

• Drain the salmon,discard the skin,crush the bones and flake the salmon with a fork.将鲑鱼沥干，去表皮，粉碎鱼骨并用餐叉子将鱼肉切成小薄片状。
• The paint's beginning to flake.油漆开始剥落了。

2 flakes   

小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人

参考例句：

• It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
• It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

3 mathematician   

n.数学家

参考例句：

• The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
• The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。

4 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

5 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

6 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。