NanoDays 2011 Report and Survey

Report date: May, 2011

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Creative Commons
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General Description:

The NanoDays 2011 Report and Survey summarizes NISE Network partner activities related to NanoDays 2011, as well as partner feedback solicited to help the Network improve future NanoDays materials and resources.

Type of product(s) studied:

Program

Method(s) of data collection:

surveys

Documents:

nd2011_report_25may11.pdf

Author(s):

Catherine McCarthy

Rae Ostman

Michelle Kortenaar

Ali Stein

Associated product(s):

Exploring Forces - Static Electricity (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

"Exploring Forces - Static Electricity" is a hands-on activity in which visitors discover that electrostatic forces cause smaller balls to be suspended in a tube while larger ones fall to the bottom. They learn that size can affect the way a material behaves.

Exploring Materials - Thin Films (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

"Exploring Materials - Thin Films" is a hands-on activity in which visitors create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. They learn that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.

Exploring Products - Nano Sand (NanoDays 2011)

"Exploring Products - Nano Sand" is a hands-on activity exploring how water behaves differently when it comes in contact with nano sand and regular sand. Visitors learn about the hydrophobic properties of nano sand.

Exploring Products - Sunblock (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

"Exploring Products - Sunblock" is a hands-on activity comparing sunblock containing nanoparticles to ointment. Visitors learn how some sunblocks that rub in clear contain nanoparticles that block harmful rays from the sun.

Exploring Size - Memory Game (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

"Exploring Size - Memory Game" is a card game exploring the different size scales - macro, micro and nano - objects within these different scales and the way these objects are measured. Visitors compete to find matching pairs of cards.

Exploring Size - Powers of Ten Game (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

"Exploring Size - Powers of Ten" is a card game exploring the relative sizes of various objects. Visitors compete to organize their hand of cards into lists of objects from largest to smallest.

Exploring Tools - Mitten Challenge (NanoDays 2011)

"Exploring Tools - Mitten Challenge" is a hands on activity in which visitors build a Lego® structure while wearing mittens. They learn that it is difficult to build small things when your tools are too big.

Exploring Size - Scented Balloons (NanoDays 2010 and 2011)

"Exploring Size - Scented Balloons" lets visitors use their sense of smell to explore the world on the nanoscale. They learn that we can smell some things that are too small to see, and that a nanometer is a billionth of a meter.

Exploring Products - Nano Fabrics (NanoDays 10, 11)

"Exploring Products - Nano Fabric" is a hands-on activity exploring how the application of nano-sized whiskers can protect clothing from stains. Visitors investigate the hydrophobic properties of pants made from nano fabric and ordinary fabric.

Nano & Society Posters

The "Nano & Society" poster series provide an entry point for exploring the relationship between nanotechnology and society. They can be displayed on their own, used to spark an open-ended conversation, or paired with suggested activities.

Exploring Size - Measure Yourself (NanoDays 08, 09, 10, 11)

"Exploring Size - Measure Yourself" is a hands-on activity in which visitors mark their height on a height chart and discover how tall they are in nanometers. They learn that although being a billion nanometers tall sounds impressive, it doesn't mean they're super tall: it means a nanometer is super small. Visitors can also measure their hands in nanometers.

Exploring Tools - Special Microscopes (NanoDays 08, 09, 10, 11)

"Exploring Tools - Special Microscopes" is a hands-on activity in which visitors use a flexible magnet as a model for a scanning probe microscope. They learn that SPMs are an example of a special tool that scientists use to work on the nanoscale.