Forces at the Nanoscale: Nano Properties of Everyday Plants

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This is an activity (located on page 3 of PDF under Nasturtium Leaves Activity) about surface tension. Learners will test different leaves with drops of water and full submersion to compare how water interacts with the leaf surface. Water will stick to some leaves more than others, seeming to almost jump off some. Learners record their observations in a table and produce leaf drawings/rubbings. This activity introduces learners to forces on the nanoscale and relates to linked video, DragonflyTV Nano: Nasturtium Leaves.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • leaves from various plants (geranium, nasturtium, lamb’s ear, begonia)
  • water
  • eye dropper
  • magnifying glass
  • notebook and pencil

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Nanotechnology
  • Life Sciences
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
  • Mathematics
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
      • Data Representation
    • Measurement
      • Size and Scale
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Bonding
    • States of Matter
      • Liquids
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Informal Categories

  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Source Collection

  • DragonflyTV

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., 2008

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation, 741749