Scientists have isolated the two different forms of water molecule for the first time.近日，科学家们首次顺利分离出两种有所不同形式的水分子。Water molecules were known to exist as two distinct isomers, or types, based on their slightly different properties at the atomic level.基于原子水平上稍微有所不同的性质，未知的水分子可以以两种有所不同的“异构体”类型不存在。

By separating out the two isomers, researchers were able to show that they behave differently in the way that they undergo chemical reactions.通过分离出两种异构体，研究人员需要证明它们在展开化学反应时可以展现出出有有所不同的不道德。In basic terms, water molecules consist of a single oxygen atom bonded to a pair of hydrogen atoms.简言之，水分子是由两个氢原子和一个氧原子键合而成的。However, they can be further subdivided based on a property of the nuclei at the hearts of the hydrogen atoms - their spin.但是，它们可以根据氢原子核心“磁矩”的特性更进一步细分。

While they arent spinning in the sense we would understand, this property of hydrogen nuclei does affect the rotation of the water molecules themselves.虽然这不是我们普通解读意义上的转动，但氢核的这种属性显然不会影响水分子本身的转动。If the nuclear spins of the two hydrogen atoms in water are oriented in the same direction, it is called ortho-water. If they are arranged in different directions, it is known as para-water.如果水分子中的两个氢原子核磁矩以完全相同的方向倾向，则称作于是以水分子。如果他们异向磁矩，则被称作胜水分子。

Given that the isomers are very similar, it has been particularly challenging to separate them out. But co-author Prof Stefan Willitsch and his colleagues succeeded in doing it using electric fields.鉴于异构体十分相近，所以将它们分离十分具备挑战性，但Stefan Willitsch教授和他的同事顺利地利用电场展开了水分子分离出来。They were then able to investigate how the different forms of water reacted with another chemical.随后，他们就需要研究有所不同形式的水分子与另一种化学品的反应情况。They used ultracold diazenylium ions (a form of nitrogen) for this test. The researchers found that para-water reacted about 25% faster with the diazenylium than ortho-water.他们用于氮离子（一种氮的形式）展开了这项测试。

研究人员找到，与于是以水分子比起，胜水分子化学反应速度提升了25％左右。Because the rotation of H2O molecules is affected by the nuclear spin, different attractive forces act between the partners in this chemical reaction.由于水分子的转动受到核磁矩的影响，所以在这种化学反应中，有所不同的吸引力在互相反应之间起了起到。Prof Willitsch said the research could help improve control over other kinds of chemical reaction: The better one can control the states of the molecules involved in a chemical reaction, the better the underlying mechanisms and dynamics of a reaction can be investigated and understood.Willitsch教授回应，这项研究可以协助提高对其他类型化学反应的掌控：“我们可以更佳地掌控化学反应中水分子的状态，不利于更加深入研究和解读反应的潜在机制和动力学。

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