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In this activity, learners discover that the way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale. Learners investigate the properties of a heat sensitive liquid crystal and make their own liquid crystal sensor to take home. This is a fun and engaging activity, especially since liquid crystals are used in many consumer products, including cell phone displays, laptop computer screens, strip thermometers, and even "mood" rings! SAFETY: learners must be supervised when doing this activity. They must wear safety glasses to protect their eyes. Before doing this activity, read through the Material Safety Data Sheets.
- Under 5 minutes
- 10 to 30 minutes
- Over $20 per group of students
- Ages 4 - adult
- Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
- English, Spanish
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- Liquid crystal sheet (#LC-2530A, 25-30˚C transition)
- Instructions for preparing the liquid crystal mixture (26.5-30.5°C transition)
- Cholesteryl oleyl carbonate (#151157)
- Cholesteryl pelargonate (#C78801)
- Cholesteryl benzoate (#C75802)
- Glass vials
- Hair drier or heat gun
- Paint brushes
- Printed cards with black squares
- Clear, square stickers
- Self-laminating pouches
- Safety glasses
- Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) (3)
Subjects
-
Engineering and Technology
-
Engineering
- Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
-
Engineering
-
Physical Sciences
-
Heat and Thermodynamics
- Heat and Temperature
- Heat Transfer
-
Chemistry
- Chemical Bonding
-
States of Matter
- Solids
- Liquids
-
Structure and Properties of Matter
- Atomic Structure
-
Heat and Thermodynamics
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- see color
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
Foreign language versions of this resource:
- Spanish: Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Sign & Guide (Spanish)
- Spanish: Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Guide (Spanish)
- Spanish: Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Activity Cards (Spanish)
Components that are part of this resource:
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Guide
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Guide
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Sign
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Sources
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Material Safety Data Sheets
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - Activity Cards
- Exploring Materials Liquid Crystals - BottleLabel
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- Creative Commons: Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa), Sciencenter, 2010
Funding Sources:
- National Science Foundation, 0532536
- National Science Foundation, 0940143