Conceptualizing the size of the nano world

Size and Scale

Got Nano (Introduction to the nanoworld.)

Millet by the Million

Sizing Up : Make each nanometer a millimeter.

How big is Small: Measure the length of a molecule of oleic acid. By Eric Muller.

Surface area to volume ratio

Shrinking Cubes: Cut clay cubes into smaller cubes and investigate surface area and volume.

Reaction Rate and grain size: Nano-effervescence Seltzer tablet in film can popping. Use half a tablet in each can one whole one ground.

A second version in an open container comes from nano days Reaction rates

Electrostatic Styrofoam: Investigate how surface electrical forces compete with bulk gravity forces.

NNIN

The National Nanotechnology Infrastructure program has an educational portal

http://www.nnin.org/nnin_edu.html

Here is an exploration from NNIN.

Size Matters, Teacher edition

Place objects on a number line by size.

Cut a meter line in half over and over and try to reach a nanometer.

Size Matters Student The student version.

Lori Lambertson's Introduction to nanometers

Metric measurement, powers of a thousandth.

Visualizing nanometers, Fingernail growth is a nm/s  Math Root

NISEnet

A great resource for nano explorations is NISEnet  http://www.nisenet.org/

A wonderful collection of nano object images from NISEnet is available here: http://www.nisenet.org/viz_lab/image-collection

Tremendous posters showing continuous zooms into the human bloodstream, a butterfly wing, and a computer chip. http://www.nisenet.org/viz_lab/illustrations

A simple scale ladder is available as a pdf here: http://www.nisenet.org/viz_lab/diagrams

Podcasts all about nano are available here http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/media/smalltalk_podcasts

 

Nano object of the day

NOD 

Nano Fabric /Nasturtium Leaves  

Experiments with nano-tex, the nanofabric

http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/exploring-materials-nano-fabrics nanodays exploration of nano fabrics.

NanoDays exploration of nanofabric

Lotus effect poster

Poster Sessions - reception tea time.

Purpose for teachers is to create a display, poster, or collection of artifacts that helps everyone understand what their teaching situation is like, especially any opportunities for teaching nanoscience concepts and the challenges that might need to be addressed. 

Nanoscience curriculum developers and teacher professional developers bring in a poster that describes their programs and also presents challenges that have encountered when disseminating their work into formal education settings. 

Additional Materials

2. Logarithmic scaling and powers of 1000

Place cards representing objects along a logarithmic line of size.

MR Diagram, Plot the sizes of every known thing in the Universe

Metric Prefixes, How to use metric prefixes.

Phenolphthalein agar blocks

Double the Doggy

CU at the Bottom, Float thin copper wires on water.

Making the Cut, How many cuts-in-half does it take to reduce a meter to a nanometer?

Scientific Explorations with Paul Doherty

© 2010

7 April 2010