Exploring Materials - Thin Films (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

Overview
Standards
Resources
Comments

Overview

Exploring Materials - Thin Films (NanoDays 2011 and 2012)

Description:

"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.

Objectives

Big Idea:

The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.

Learning goals:

The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its stucture on the nanoscale.
The thin film reflects differently depending on how thick it is, so you can see different colors

NISE Net Content Map:

Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do.

Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanoengineering lead to new knowledge and innovations that weren't possible before.

Universal design:

Provide multiple entry points and multiple ways of engagement

Credits

Developed for the NISE Network with funding from the National Science Foundation under Award Numbers 0532536 and 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

Owning institution:

Sciencenter

Checklist

Scientist reviewed? check_reviewed

Peer reviewed? check_reviewed

Visitor evaluation? check_reviewed

Nano Topics

Art and nature

Audience

All ages

Permissions

Creative Commons
Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike

Standards

Life science:

5-8: Structure and function in living systems

Physical science:

K-4: Properties of objects and materials

9-12: Structure and properties of matter

Science and Technology:

K-4: Abilities of technological design

K-4: Understanding about science and technology

Science as inquiry:

K-4: Understanding about scientific inquiry

5-8: Understanding about scientific inquiry

9-12: Understanding about scientific inquiry

Resources

Download all files (ZIP)

Files:

Exploring Materials Thin Films - Guide

Exploring Materials Thin Films - Guide

Exploring Materials Thin Films - Sign

Exploring Materials Thin Films- Sources

Spanish files:

Exploring Materials Thin Films - Guide (Spanish)

Exploring Materials Thin Films - Sign & Guide (Spanish)

Comments

Reaction Station Box for facilitation

Submitted by Denise LeBlanc on Sat, 03/24/2012 - 05:25.

The Thin Films is a very popular activity with our visitors and we do it year-round. We also have incorporated the activity into our Reaction Station 'glove box' project (a Dreyfus Foundation grant).
This modified plastic box contains the smell of the nail polish, feels like a chemistry or industry lab hood or glove box, and allows our educators to work with our youngest visitors as they make their thin films to take home.
I will try to post photos and can provide instructions to make a Reaction Station Box out of a clear storage container.