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Scale Ladder

This poster uses a scale ladder approach to convey the size of the nanoscale and show how objects are related by size.

DESCRIPTION

Scale ladders are diagrams that can quickly convey the size of the nanoscale by showing how objects are related by size. Using existing research on understanding size and scale, the Visualization Laboratory carried out a series of experiments to develop effective scale ladders as well as guidelines for their design and use. This diagram can be dropped as is into an exhibition graphic or used as a template and adapted for different content or graphical contexts. To inform designers wishing to build a different scale ladder, guidelines gleaned from the research are also made available separately.

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES
  • a scale ladder from the macro to the nano size
  • Scale ladder posters showing macro scale down to the atomic scale
  • a scale ladder from the macro to the nano size
  • Scale ladder posters showing macro scale down to the atomic scale

DESCRIPTION

Scale ladders are diagrams that can quickly convey the size of the nanoscale by showing how objects are related by size. Using existing research on understanding size and scale, the Visualization Laboratory carried out a series of experiments to develop effective scale ladders as well as guidelines for their design and use. This diagram can be dropped as is into an exhibition graphic or used as a template and adapted for different content or graphical contexts. To inform designers wishing to build a different scale ladder, guidelines gleaned from the research are also made available separately.

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES

OBJECTIVES

LEARNING GOALS

  • Nanoscale objects are smaller than a cell, larger than an atom.

NANO CONTENT MAP

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

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2009
OWNING INSTITUTION

Exploratorium

FUNDING

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.

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.