Surface Area
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In this demonstration, learners discover that nanoparticles behave differently, in part because they have a high surface area to volume ratio. Learners learn that smaller particles have a much higher proportion of atoms on the surface. Learners unfold paper cubes, drop alka-seltzer in water, turn potatoes black with iodine, and observe fireballs to understand how surface area changes as things get small. Safety note: this demonstration involves poisonous and dangerous materials as well as fire; use precaution and adult supervision required.
- 5 to 10 minutes
- 10 to 30 minutes
- Over $20 per group of students
- Ages 6 - adult
- Activity, Demonstration, Lesson/Lesson Plan
- English, Spanish
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- 2 buckets--white is best—one filled with water (for dousing hot and burning material)
- 1 transparent beaker about 250 ml (about 1 cup)
- 2 narrow containers, graduated cylinders or the like, about 100 ml (about ½ cup)
- 2 cups to hold about 50 ml water each (about ¼ cup)
- 1 tray
- 2 tablets alka-seltzer per demo, 1 tablet crushed per demo
- 1 candle
- matches or lighter
- lycopodium spore powder (Flinn Scientific or Carolina Biological or ScienceKit.com. NOTE: This hazardous, flammable material will require direct payment from and shipping to a school or museum.)
- A teaspoon
- Nano silver anti-odor socks
- 1 potato
- A potato peeler
- Potato flakes
- Iodine solution (medical supply)
- A scoop or spoon for adding flakes to solution
- Eyedropper for adding iodine
- Sample of colloidal gold
- 35 wooden cubes (8 cubes are completely painted silver, 27 cubes are painted so that they assemble into a 3x3x3 supercube with all exterior surfaces painted and no interior surfaces painted. Each cube has holes, for pegs and Brio nails)
- 70 Brio nails
- Paper cube cutouts to cover two 2-inch cubes, one 4 inch cube, and one 6 inch cube (Make the two small folding cubes in different colors, one matching the medium cube and one matching the large one; raised lines are ideal)
- Paper displays of cube surface area, in matching colors
- One acrylic cube, scored to show 1,000 divisions
- Aluminum bar
- Steel wool
- Tongs
- Flexible tubing
- Bulk lycopodium moss
- Water
- Food coloring
Subjects
- Engineering and Technology
- Engineering
- Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Engineering
- Physical Sciences
- Chemistry
- Chemical Reactions
- Solutions
- Structure and Properties of Matter
- Atomic Structure
- Mass and Weight
- Volume and Density
- Chemistry
- The Nature of Technology
- Technology and Society
- Impacts of Technology
- Technology and Society
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:
Components that are part of this resource:
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- Creative Commons, NISE NET,
Funding Sources:
- National Science Foundation, 0532536
- National Science Foundation, 0940143
