11 One Step Closer

CHAPTER ELEVEN ONE STEP CLOSER Solutes (noun). Substances that dissolve. Like what happens to cocoa powder when you pour steaming milk (called a solvent) to make hot cocoa. MAYBE I COULD PLOP the backpack into the freezer. If the glue froze, I might be able to break it off the fabric lining with my hands. Or I could use a knife to peel it away. When I opened the freezer, I saw ice cream, frozen peas, burritos, and Popsicles. Unfortunately, Dad had just gone shopping at Costco. The freezer was jam-packed and there wasn't enough room for the bag. As my grandma Dort would say, now it was time for me to face the music. Or rather the glue. I yanked out the bottle of Elmer's from the bag and read the label. It said it was water soluble. The glue would soften like butter if I got it wet. After filling our kettle with water, I set the bag on the counter. A bit later, I poured warm water onto a rag, and then attacked a glob of glue. Total fail.

第十一章更近一步溶质（名词）。 溶解物：溶解的物质就像当你倒入热气腾腾的牛奶（称为溶剂）来制作热可可时，可可粉会发生什么。 也许我可以把背包放进冰箱里。 如果胶水冻住了，我也许可以用手把它从织物衬里上弄下来。 或者我可以用刀把它剥下来。 当我打开冰箱时，我看到了冰淇淋、冷冻豌豆、墨西哥卷饼和冰棍。 不幸的是，爸爸刚刚去好市多购物了。 冰箱里塞满了东西，没有足够的空间放那个袋子。 就像我奶奶多特会说的，现在是我面对现实的时候了。 或者说是胶水。我从袋子里拿出一瓶埃尔默酒，看了看标签。 上面说它是水溶性的。 如果我把胶水弄湿，它就会像黄油一样变软。 把水壶装满水后，我把袋子放在柜台上。 过了一会儿，我把温水倒在一块抹布上，然后抹了一团胶水。 总失败。

Disgusted, I slammed the wet rag into the perfect, shiny, Mom-cleaned sink. Then I realized something. In science, when you eliminate one thing, you are one step closer to the solution. A fail was a win.

我厌恶地把湿抹布扔进了妈妈擦得锃亮的完美水槽。 然后我意识到一件事。 在科学中，当你消除了一件事，你就离解决问题更近了一步。 失败就是胜利。