Search Results

This lesson focuses on how materials behave differently as their surface area increases.

Learners use red cabbage juice and pH indicator paper to test the acidity and basicity of household materials. The activity links this concept of acids and bases to acid rain and other pollutants.

In this demonstration, learners discover that nanoparticles behave differently, in part because they have a high surface area to volume ratio.

In this activity on page 11 of the PDF, learners use candle wax to make "invisible" designs that are revealed with watercolor paints.

Visitors add drops of copper sulfate solution onto a steel nail. They observe the nail change color from silver to brown as the copper plates onto the nail.

In this activity, learners explore how water behaves differently when it comes in contact with "nano sand" and regular sand.

In this activity, learners discover that the way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.

Visitors test solutions of water, sugar, salt, and hydrochloric acid and the solids salt and sugar. They clip leads from the hand generator to wires immersed in each substance.

In this activity, learners discover that as the salinity of water increases, the density increases as well. Learners prove this by attempting to float fresh eggs in saltwater and freshwater.

In this activity, explore chromatography and the various colors that make up the ink in markers. Use this activity to investigate cohesion and adhesion.

In this activity (on pages 18-29) learners explore the impact of the March 24, 1989 oil spill in Alaska caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker.

Visitors prepare six solutions combining vinegar and ammonia that range incrementally from acid (all vinegar) to base (all ammonia).

In this activity, learners explore how nanotechnology is being used to create new types of protective fabrics.

This is a quick activity (located on page 2 of the PDF under Nasturtium Leaves Activity) about surface tension.

This is an activity (located on page 3 of the PDF under Water Clean-up Activity) about the use of reduction agents to decontaminate ground water.

This is an activity (located on page 4 of the PDF under Surface Area Activity) about surface area and reactivity.

Learners conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects.

As a model of acid rain, learners water plants with three different solutions: water only, vinegar only, vinegar-water mixture.

In this activity, learners try pouring water out of a regular cup and a miniature cup. It’s harder than it sounds! Learners discover that different forces dominate at different size scales.

In this activity/demo, learners discover how liquid nitrogen cools a creamy mixture at such a rapid rate that it precipitates super fine grained (nano) ice cream.