In this Short Activity, learners cut a small strip of paper in half as many times as they can to explore scale.
“Cutting it Down” is a cart demo that communicates scale through a hands-on activity. Visitors learn that the nanometer size scale is very, very small—and that we can’t use macroscale tools to manipulate nanoscale materials. During the program, visitors are challenged to cut a small strip of paper in half as many times as they can—or until they reach the nanoscale, which ever comes first.
BIG IDEA
the nanometer and the nanoscale are very very small. Nanotechnology means working at small size scales.
LEARNING GOALS
- As a result of participating in this program, visitors will be able to understand that the nanoscale is very, very small and that scientists working at the nanoscale require special tools.
NANO CONTENT MAP
Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do.
