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How small is small? How can nanoscale matter improve our lives? Innovation Workshop: Nanotechnology explores this cutting-edge science and engineering of nanoscale matter. Nanotechnology involves manipulating and controlling matter from one nanometer to 100 nanometers. From airplanes to baseball bats, nanomaterials offer a variety of desirable properties such as strength and conductivity. Graphene and carbon nanotubes are wonder materials made entirely from carbon atoms. Innovation Workshop explores their structure of matter and how engineers can build with these new materials.

Students will learn about moving atoms, electron clouds, and how temperature effects matter from Joseph Stroscio at the National Institute for Standards and Technology. Innovation Workshop student reporter takes students into the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s NanoFab where scientists work in a clean room to build highly structured nanoelectronic circuits. Nanoelectronics is a field of study where researchers are still creating new methods to build.

Nanotechnology is an innovation with big potential even though it’s small in size. So small, it can’t be seen with the human eye or even your school’s microscope. In 1981, the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) launched the age of nanotechnology. It can see individual atoms and even move them to create advanced nanostructures.

Scientists use physical and chemical properties to describe and classify matter. Things like color, shape or texture can tell us about the matter and how that matter behaves. Well, nanotechnology isn't just exciting because it's small but also because of the new properties that emerge.

Nanotechnology is more than just one innovation, it’s a movement that’s revolutionizing the materials we build with and showcases how humans push for new ways of thinking and doing.

Download Small is Big: Investigating Nanotechnology and its Applications Teacher's Guide and Student Workbook — a classroom resource from Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Instructional Services.

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