自平衡單軌列車：英語精讀講義

This is the Brennan Monorail,

這是布倫南單軌列車，

a train from the early 1900s

一列來自20世紀初的火車，

that seemed to defy the laws of physics. 慣用語

它似乎打破了物理定律。

Not only did it keep itself perfectly balanced on a single rail, 文法

它不僅能在單根軌道上保持完美的平衡，

but it mysteriously leaned into corners without any driver input. 片語搭配

而且在沒有任何駕駛員輸入的情況下，它還能神祕地傾斜著過彎。

This was a real invention,

這是一項真實的發明，

and it was unveiled to the public in 1910 片語搭配

由其發明者路易斯·布倫南

by its inventor Louis Brennan.

在1910年向大眾展示。

The idea was that using a single rail instead of two 文法

他的想法是，使用單軌而不是雙軌，

would make trains faster and railways cheaper to build.

可以使列車速度更快，鐵路建造成本更低。

His train could take corners at greater speeds 片語搭配

他的列車可以以更高的速度轉彎，

without being thrown off the tracks, 片語動詞

而不會被甩出軌道，

and his railway only needed half the material.

而且他的鐵路只需要一半的材料。

Unlike the monorails we're familiar with today,

與我們今天熟悉的單軌列車不同，

which have thick tracks built high in the air,

現代的單軌列車有建在高空的厚重軌道，

Brennan's monorail could run on existing tracks.

但布倫南的單軌列車可以在現有的軌道上運行。

Although it looks a bit sketchy, 用詞

雖然它看起來有些簡陋，

it was by design very stable. 片語搭配

但其設計非常穩定。

At the heart of the train 慣用語

列車的核心部分

was a gyroscope that could correct the train's tilt

是一個陀螺儀，它能糾正列車的傾斜，

before the passengers even noticed.

甚至在乘客察覺之前就已完成。

This was a mind-blowing piece of engineering,

這是一項令人驚歎的工程傑作，

especially for 1910.

尤其是在1910年。

But how did it actually work?

但它究竟是如何運作的呢？

We modeled the entire thing and studied the original patents

我們對整個裝置進行了建模，並研究了最初的專利，

to show you how incredibly clever this design was.

向你展示這項設計有多麼巧妙。

But in order to understand exactly what's going on here, 講解

但為了弄清楚這裡到底發生了什麼，

we need to know a bit about gyroscopes.

我們需要先了解一點關於陀螺儀的知識。

The basic principle is that if you spin a disc really quickly,

基本原理是，如果你極快地旋轉一個圓盤，

its angular momentum tries to keep it perfectly stable.

它的角動量會試圖讓它保持完美的穩定。

If you try to tilt it in this direction,

如果你試著朝這個方向傾斜它，

it starts rotating on the vertical axis.

它就會開始在垂直軸上旋轉。

This is called precession. 表達脈絡

這被稱為進動（歲差）。

But if instead of tilting it,

但是，如果我們不是去傾斜它，

we cause it to precess,

而是讓它產生進動，

it actually tilts the disc in the opposite direction.

它實際上會使圓盤向相反的方向傾斜。

It's because of this that a gyro will always try

正是因為如此，陀螺儀總是會試圖

to find its way back to equilibrium. 片語搭配

找回它的平衡狀態。

Brennan saw this as the key to keeping his train balanced, 片語搭配

布倫南認為這是保持列車平衡的關鍵，

and so he experimented by placing a small flywheel

因此他做了一個實驗，把一個小飛輪

in a model train and hooking it up to an electric motor. 片語動詞

放在模型火車裡，並將其連接到電動機上。

Initially, this worked,

起初，這很有效，

and anytime the train started to fall,

每當火車開始倒下時，

the disc would precess and keep the train upright.

圓盤就會進動，使列車保持直立。

The problem was that when the train turned, 表達脈絡

問題是，當列車轉彎時，

the gyro didn't turn with it,

陀螺儀並沒有跟著轉，

since it was trying to maintain its position in space.

因為它試圖保持它在空間中的位置。

From the train's point of view, 片語搭配

從列車的角度來看，

the gyro was precessing,

陀螺儀正在進動，

which caused the train to tilt over and fall off the track.

這導致列車傾覆並脫軌。

To solve this problem,

為了解決這個問題，

Brennan put a second gyro in the train and made it spin in the opposite direction.

布倫南在列車上放置了第二個陀螺儀，並讓它向相反方向旋轉。

Both were connected by a gear,

兩者由一個齒輪連接，

so that when one gyro precessed,

這樣當一個陀螺儀進動時，

the other would precess in the exact opposite direction.

另一個會向完全相反的方向進動。

When the train turned a corner,

當列車轉彎時，

both gyros wanted to keep facing the same way,

兩個陀螺儀都想保持面向同一個方向，

but this was impossible.

但這顯然是不可能的。

And so both gyros were forced to rotate with the train,

因此，兩個陀螺儀被迫與列車一起旋轉，

and this unwanted precession got canceled out. 片語動詞

這種不必要的進動就被抵消了。

With another problem solved, 文法

隨著又一個問題得到解決，

he started working on the full-sized prototype that he could test with real passengers.

他開始致力於全尺寸原型的開發，以便用真實乘客進行測試。

This was a 12 m long,

這是一輛12公尺長、

22-ton vehicle with two massive gyros spinning at 3,500 rpm.

22噸重的車輛，配有兩個以3500轉/分旋轉的巨大陀螺儀。

But scaling up his design uncovered a massive problem. 片語動詞

但放大他的設計暴露出了巨大的問題。

Now that some serious weight was involved, 文法

現在涉及到極大的重量，

the gyros weren't only fighting against their own rotation,

陀螺儀不僅要對抗自身的旋轉，

but also the force of gravity trying to pull down the train.

還要對抗試圖將列車拉倒的重力。

This was much easier to overcome in Brennan's smaller model,

這在布倫南較小的模型中很容易克服，

but with 22 tons now trying to pull the train over,

但現在有22噸的重量試圖把列車拉倒，

the gyros had to be much stronger.

陀螺儀就必須強大得多。

The next day,

第二天，

while having lunch,

在吃午餐的時候，

a letter arrived that would have the key to the solution.

一封信送達了，它包含了解決方案的關鍵。

It was a letter from the King of Nigeria

那是一封來自奈及利亞國王的信，

saying that he had a large amount of money for Brennan.

說他有一大筆錢要給布倫南。

Just kidding,

開個玩笑，

this never happened.

這從未發生過。

But if it did,

但如果真的發生了，

Brennan could have asked Incogni today's sponsor to stop it. 文法

布倫南本來可以求助今天的贊助商 Incogni 來阻止它。

Every day,

每一天，

we constantly get bombarded with spam emails and phone calls 片語搭配

我們都會不斷受到垃圾郵件和推銷電話的轟炸，

from companies we never signed up to.

來自我們從未註冊過的公司。

Why does this happen?

為什麼會這樣呢？

Well,

嗯，

data brokers sell our information to marketing agencies 文化背景

數據經紀人把我們的資訊賣給行銷機構，

who then send you all the stuff you don't want.

然後他們就把你不需要的東西發給你。

The worst thing is that all the information

最糟糕的是所有的資訊

they have in their databases

他們在資料庫中擁有的那些，

can quite easily be leaked or stolen by criminals.

很容易被犯罪分子洩漏或竊取。

The good thing is that you have the right to protect yourself.

好消息是，你有權保護自己。

And so Incogni reaches out to all of these companies 片語動詞

於是，Incogni 會代表你

on your behalf and gets them to delete any information 講解

聯繫所有這些公司，並讓他們刪除

they have about you.

關於你的任何資訊。

All you need to do is sign up,

你只需要註冊，

sit back,

舒服地坐下，

and watch Incogni do their work.

看著 Incogni 完成他們的工作。

These are all the companies that no longer have my data.

這些都是不再擁有我資料的公司。

To protect your personal information and get rid of spam 片語動詞

為了保護你的個人資訊，並把垃圾訊息

in your life,

從你的生活中清除，

visit incogni.com/primalspace

請造訪 incogni.com/primalspace，

and use the code primalspace to get 60% off.

並使用代碼 primalspace 享受四折優惠。

In order for Brennan's monorail to keep itself perfectly balanced,

為了讓布倫南單軌列車保持完美平衡，

it needed to overcome its own weight,

它需要克服自身的重量，

which was constantly trying to pull the vehicle over.

這股重量總是試圖把車輛拉倒。

As it leaned,

隨著它的傾斜，

the center of gravity shifted,

重心發生了偏移，

and the vehicle got pulled down more and more.

車輛被越拉越往下墜。

The natural precession wasn't strong or quick enough to keep the train stable.

自然的進動既不夠強也不夠快，無法保持列車穩定。

And so Brennan came up with a new solution. 片語動詞

於是布倫南想出了一個新方案。

He realized that the key to all of this

他意識到這一切的關鍵

was taking control of the gyro's precession.

是控制陀螺儀的進動。

By purposely precessing them quicker than they would normally precess, 文法

透過有意讓它們比正常進動得更快，

a stronger force would be put into righting the vehicle.

就能產生更強的力量來扶正車輛。

He hooked up the gyros to a petrol engine

他將陀螺儀連接到汽油發動機上，

and encased them in vacuum-sealed casings to reduce friction.

並將它們封裝在真空密封的殼體中以減少摩擦。

Even if the power ran out, 講解

即使動力耗盡，

the gyros would keep spinning for up to 30 minutes

陀螺儀也能繼續旋轉長達30分鐘，

before the train could fall over.

在這之後列車才會倒下。

He placed the gyros on a single gimbal

他將陀螺儀放在一個萬向節上，

that allowed the whole system to rotate on the train's roll axis.

這允許整個系統在列車的滾轉軸上旋轉。

The axles of each gyro stuck out of the casing

每個陀螺儀的轉軸伸出機殼，

and sat between two guide plates that were attached to the train's chassis.

位於兩塊連接在列車底盤上的導向板之間。

As the train tipped over,

當列車傾斜時，

the axles would make contact with one of the plates, 片語搭配

這些轉軸會接觸到其中一塊導向板，

and friction would cause them to roll over like a wheel on the ground. 表達脈絡

摩擦力會導致它們像地上的輪子一樣滾動。

This would cause the gyros to precess much quicker than the previous design,

這會導致陀螺儀比以前的設計進動得快得多，

pushing the entire train back to equilibrium. 文法

從而將整輛列車推回平衡狀態。

The problem was,

問題是，

vibrations would cause the gyros to bounce on the guide plates,

振動會導致陀螺儀在導向板上彈跳，

and they never produced a smooth and proportional force on the train.

它們從未在列車上產生過平滑且成比例的力。

And so Brennan got rid of the guide plates

因此，布倫南去掉了導向板，

and came up with an even better solution.

並想出了一個更好的解決方案。

He fixed the gyros to the train's chassis, 用詞

他把陀螺儀固定在列車底盤上，

so they would rotate with the train.

這樣它們就會與列車一起旋轉。

When the train tipped over,

當列車傾斜時，

the gyros did their usual thing and started to precess naturally.

陀螺儀照常發揮作用，開始自然進動。

On the right-hand gyro,

在右側的陀螺儀上，

its axle was directly connected to a mechanism

它的轉軸直接連接到一個機構，

that controlled an actuator rod.

該裝置控制著一根驅動桿。

This rod was linked to a lever and two valves,

這根桿連接到一個控制桿和兩個閥門，

which controlled the flow of compressed air.

用於控制壓縮空氣的流動。

This compressed air followed two pipes

這些壓縮空氣順著兩根管道流動，

that entered into either end of a large tube 片語搭配

這兩根管道分別接入一根大管子的兩端，

running through the center of the gyroscope.

這根大管子貫穿陀螺儀的中心。

Inside this tube was a gear rack,

在這根管子內部是一根齒條，

which was placed between the two gyros

它放置在兩個陀螺儀之間，

and could move back and forth to rotate them. 片語搭配

可以來回移動以使它們旋轉。

When the train tilted,

當列車傾斜時，

the gyros would precess,

陀螺儀就會進動，

and the clever actuator arm would activate the valves.

巧妙的驅動臂就會啟動閥門。

By closing off one of the valves, 片語動詞

透過關閉其中一個閥門，

compressed air would then flow through one of the pipes

壓縮空氣就會流過其中一根管道，

and into one end of the tube.

進入管子的一端。

This would increase the pressure,

這會增加壓力，

pushing the gear rack and forcing the gyros to precess in the opposite direction

推動齒條，迫使陀螺儀朝相反方向進動，

until the train returned to equilibrium.

直到列車恢復平衡。

This all happened instantly,

這一切都在瞬間發生，

and the gyros would react before the train ever got too unbalanced.

陀螺儀會在列車變得太不平衡之前就做出反應。

The key here is that the compressed air acted as a pneumatic system, 講解

這裡的關鍵是壓縮空氣起到了氣動系統的作用，

allowing the smaller force to produce a much bigger force.

允許用較小的力產生大得多的力。

The force of the compressed air gets sent equally through the air in the tube.

壓縮空氣的力透過管子裡的空氣被平均傳遞出去。

Once it gets to the larger piston, 文法

一旦它到達較大的活塞，

the same force is multiplied over a larger area.

同樣的力會在更大的面積上成倍增加。

And so this piston is moved with much greater force

因此，這個活塞的移動力量

than the gyros put into it.

遠大於陀螺儀輸入給它的力量。

This genius system took the force of the train tipping over

這個天才的系統利用了列車傾斜的力，

and multiplied it against itself to create a train that always wanted to stay level.

並將其自身成倍放大，創造出了一列總是想要保持水平的列車。

His train was so strong that even if every passenger stood on one side, 文法

他的列車穩定能力強到，即使所有乘客都站在同一側，

the train would stay perfectly balanced.

列車也會保持完美的平衡。

His prototype was a huge success,

他的原型取得了巨大的成功，

and at the time, it really did seem like the future. 文法

在當時，它確實看起來像是未來之光。

But, unfortunately, investors weren't confident in the design.

但是，不幸的是，投資者對這項設計沒有信心。

Two-railed trains were already well-established at the time,

當時雙軌列車已經非常成熟了，

and the fact that every train carriage would need its own gyroscope 文法

而且每節車廂都需要自己的陀螺儀這個事實，

brought the project to an end. 片語搭配

導致了該專案的終結。

Either way, it's amazing to uncover these incredible inventions 表達脈絡

不管怎樣，能發掘出這些令人難以置信的發明

and appreciate the geniuses behind their creation.

並欣賞其創造背後的天才，是一件很棒的事。

And now, time for the Primal Space giveaway.

現在，是 Primal Space 的抽獎時間了。

The winner of the previous giveaway is Cameron.

上一次抽獎的獲勝者是 Cameron。

Congrats.

恭喜。

In the next video, we'll be giving away another Primal Space Voyager poster 片語動詞

在下一個影片中，我們將把商店裡有售的

available in our store to one lucky winner.

另一張 Primal Space 航海者海報送給一位幸運贏家。

All you need to do is sign up at the link below,

你只需要在下面的連結註冊，

like the video, and leave a comment saying what you think about Brennan's design.

給影片按讚，並留言說出你對布倫南設計的看法。

Thank you very much for watching,

非常感謝你的觀看，

and I'll see you in the next video.

我們下期影片再見。