Methane is a simple gas. You cannot see it, and by itself you cannot smell it.

MethaneMethane（甲烷） is是 a simple gas一種很單純的氣體。 You你 cannot see it看不到它 and and by itself它自己本身 you cannot smell it也是沒有味道的。

It burns well, so it is a large part of the natural gas that cooks food and heats water — though gas companies add a stinky chemical on purpose, because pure methane would give no warning if it leaked.

It它 burns well很容易燃燒 so所以 it是 a large part of很大一部分的成分 the natural gas天然瓦斯裡 that cooks food and heats water用來煮飯、燒水的 — though though不過 gas companies瓦斯公司 add a stinky chemical on purpose會故意加一種臭臭的化學物質進去 because因為 pure methane純的 methane would give no warning如果外洩了完全不會有味道提醒你 if it leaked。

In nature it comes from wet ground, from the stomachs of cows, from rubbish dumps, and from under the earth. It is also a greenhouse gas: it traps heat in the air and adds to climate change.

In nature在自然界裡 it它 comes from來自 wet ground濕地 from the stomachs of cows牛的胃 from rubbish dumps垃圾掩埋場 and from under the earth還有地底下。 It它 is also也是 a greenhouse gas一種溫室氣體 : it traps heat in the air會把熱困在空氣裡 and adds to climate change讓氣候變遷變得更嚴重。

Chemists write it as CH₄ — one carbon and four hydrogens — the smallest of this family of simple burnable gases.

Chemists化學家 write it as把它寫成 CH₄CH₄ — one carbon and four hydrogens一個碳原子配四個氫原子 — the smallest是最小的一個 of this family of simple burnable gases這一類可燃簡單氣體裡。

Though actually, 'natural gas smells' is only half true: the smell is added. Methane itself is silent to the nose. Mixed with air and a spark, it can explode, which is why miners used to fear it in tunnels.

Though actually不過實際上 'natural gas smells' is only half true「天然瓦斯有味道」這句話只對了一半 : the smell is added那個味道是後來加進去的。 Methane itselfMethane 本身 is silent to the nose對鼻子來說是沒有味道的。 Mixed with air and a spark它跟空氣混合再加上一點火花 it it可能 can explode就爆炸 which is why這也是為什麼 miners used to fear it礦工以前很怕它 in tunnels在坑道裡。