Nanotechnology is the
creation of functional
devices, and systems through
the control of matter on
nanometer length scales and
the exploitation of novel
properties at this length
scale.
(http://www.lanl.gov/mst/nano/definition.html)
At the nanoscale, the
physical, chemical, and
biological properties of
materials differ in
fundamental and valuable
ways from the properties of
individual atoms and
molecules or bulk matter.
Nanotechnology R&D is
directed toward
understanding and creating
improved materials, devices,
and systems that exploit
these new properties. (http://www.nano.gov)
So,
what is a nanometer?
A
nanometer is one billionth
of a meter. (10
-9m)
A human hair is
approximately 75,000 to
100,000 nanometers in
diameter.
If you were to place 10
hydrogen atoms in a line,
their total width would be
approximately one nanometer.
How are North Penn High
School students getting
involved with
nanotechnology?
The students are currently
performing research in the
materials science and
polymers world.
Their research is centered
around designing and performing their
own electrospinning
experiments that plot
the diameter and/or
uniformity of their
electrospun nanofibers as a
function of a series of
identified variables such
as: (1) polymer
concentration, (2) electric
field strength and (3)
collection plate distance.
Read More
Justification for Teaching
Research and Experimental Design
in Education