Task 9. Make the written translation into Russian (1,500 characters)

Quantum physics deals with the behaviour of the smallest things in our universe: subatomic particles. It is a new science, only coming into its own in the early part of the 20th century, when physicists began questioning why they couldn't explain certain radiation effects. One of those pioneering thinkers, Max Planck, used the term «quanta» for the tiny particles of energy he was studying, hence the term «quantum physics». Planck said the amount of energy contained in an electron is not arbitrary, but is a multiple of a standard «quantum» of energy. One of the first practical uses of this knowledge led to the invention of the transistor.

Unlike the inflexible laws of standard physics, the rules of quantum physics seem made to be broken. Just when scientists think they have one aspect of their study of matter and energy figured out, a new twist emerges to remind them how unpredictable their field is. Still, they are able to harness, if not totally understand, their findings to develop new technologies that sometimes can only be called fantastic.

In the future, quantum mechanics may help keep military secrets secure and protect your bank account information from online thieves. Scientists are working on quantum computers that can execute jobs far beyond the capabilities of today's machines. Broken into subatomic particles, items might be transported from one location to another in the blink of an eye. And, perhaps most intriguing of all, quantum physics may lead us to discover just what the universe is made of and what or who did the making.

(From dsc.discovery.com)