Short Activities

The ferrofluid activity components including the signs, guides, tubes of ferrofluid, and magnets.

Exploring Materials - Ferrofluid

In this activity, learners investigate the properties of ferrofluid and magnetic black sand, learning that the surprising difference in the behavior of these two materials is due to size.
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image of a handprint that was created using heat sensitive liquid crystals suspended in thermal paper

Exploring Materials - Liquid Crystals

In this activity, learners will investigate the properties of a heat sensitive liquid crystal and make their own liquid crystal sensor to take home.
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Learner cuts a paper ruler in half

Exploring Size - Tiny Ruler

In this activity, learners investigating just how small a billionth of a meter is by repeatedly cutting a paper ruler in half.
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A facilitator holds a bottle while a learner wafts a scent to her nose

Exploring Size - Scented Solutions

In this activity, learners sniff a series of diluted scent solutions to discover they can smell nano-sized particles they can't see.
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Surface Area activity components including signs, activity materials and guides.

Exploring Properties - Surface Area

In this activity, learners compare the reaction rate of an effervescent antacid tablet that is broken in half with one that is broken into many pieces.
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young learners placing mini teacup in water to see what happens

Exploring Forces - Gravity

In this activity, learners will discover that size can affect the way materials like water behave.
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Group of students building a carbon nanotube model out of balloons

Balloon Nanotubes Tabletop

In this activity, learners build a model of carbon nanotubes out of balloons to explore the material's structure and properties.
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Learner experimenting with magic sand

Magic Sand / Nanosurfaces

In this activity, learners discover that "magic" sand repels water because of a nanoscale hydrophobic coating on the grains of sand.
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Facilitator showing learners the lotus leaf effect

Lotus Leaf Effect

In this activity, learners explore how some leaves are self cleaning and repel water due to their nanoscale features.
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Facilitator demonstrates how an inkjet printer works

Inkjet Printer

In this activity, learners explore how liquids behave differently at the small scale by examining how inkjet printers produce tiny, precise drops of ink.
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