In a metal atom, the outermost electrons are only weakly attached to the nucleus.

在金属原子中，最外层电子与原子核连接微弱。

These react with nearby metal atoms and form tough, protective films a few molecules thick to ameliorate the damage.

这些液体将与周围金属原子发生反应，形成几个分子厚、坚固且具有保护性的膜，以修复表面的损害。

What's noteworthy, is that the metal atoms are actually consumed.

值得注意的是， 金属原子实际上被消耗了。

In this case molecules in the solution are being broken down so that the metal atoms can be deposited on the surface.

在这种情况下， 溶液中的分子被分解， 因此金属原子可以沉积在表面上。

To picture how it works, think of metal atoms as spheres and consider how they can pack together in the most efficient ways possible.

要描绘它是如何工作的，请将金属原子想象成球体， 并考虑它们如何以最有效的方式堆积在一起。

Much of the interest in perovskites comes because those which combine metal atoms with chlorine, bromine or iodine (members of a group of elements called halogens) are semiconductors.

人们对钙钛矿的兴趣很大，因为那些将金属原子与氯、溴或碘（卤素元素组的成员）结合在一起就是半导体。

So, metallic glasses form when metal atoms are in this random arrangement, like when melted metal is cooled really, really quickly, before its particles can arrange themselves into a crystal.

所以，当金属原子随机排列时，合金玻璃就产生了，就像融化的金属，冷却地非常快，例子来不及排列成晶体。

Because metal atoms crystallize so rapidly, scientists had to cool the alloy down incredibly fast, a million degrees Kelvin per second, by shooting tiny droplets at cold copper plates, or spinning ultrathin ribbons.

因为金属原子结晶极为迅速，所以科学家们必须极快地把合金冷却，大概是以一百万开氏度每秒，他们把微粒射向冷铜片，或者极薄的旋转带。

When a bunch of metal atoms come together in a chunk, these outer electrons wiggle free, creating what scientists usually think of as a negatively-charged “sea of electrons” flowing around a network of positively-charged ions.

当大量金属原子聚集结合为块状，这些外层电子自由移动，就产生了科学家通常所说的电子海，即大量带负电荷的电子游荡在带正电的金属阳离子周围。

Dr List and Dr MacMillan found a way to have the best of both worlds: small-molecule catalysts that have no metal atoms in them, can turn out pure enantiomers, and often simplify multi-step reactions. That has significant industrial implications.

不含金属原子的小分子催化剂，可以生成纯净的对映体，而且通常会简化多步反应。这具有重大的工业意义。