Exploring Materials - Polarizers

TYPE: Short Activities
AUDIENCE: Ages 4 - Adult
TOPIC: Light and Optics
In this activity, learners experiment how polarizers affect light by using two polarizing sheets and overlapping layers of transparent tape.
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DESCRIPTION

"Exploring Materials - Polarizers" is a hands-on activity in which visitors use two polarizing sheets and overlapping layers of transparent tape to see how polarizers affect light. They learn that researchers are using nanotechnology to improve existing materials, in this case polarizing filters.

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  • Hands holding square of polarizers and transparent tape
  • Hands holding square of polarizers and transparent tape

DESCRIPTION

"Exploring Materials - Polarizers" is a hands-on activity in which visitors use two polarizing sheets and overlapping layers of transparent tape to see how polarizers affect light. They learn that researchers are using nanotechnology to improve existing materials, in this case polarizing filters.

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TRAINING VIDEOS

OBJECTIVES

BIG IDEA

The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.

LEARNING GOALS

  • The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.

  • Nanotechnology takes advantage of special properties at the nanoscale to improve existing materials.

NANO CONTENT MAP

Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do.

Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanoengineering lead to new knowledge and innovations that weren't possible before.

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TYPE:
Educational Resources
AUDIENCE:
Ages 4 - Adult
LANGUAGES:
English Spanish
ADDITIONAL TOPICS: Engineering and Technology Nanotechnology Physical Sciences Light and Optics Materials Science
KIT: Purple NanoDays logo - the Biggest Event for the Smallest Science Browse kit
KEYWORDS:

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2015
PROJECT
OWNING INSTITUTION

Sciencenter

FUNDING

Developed for the NISE Network with funding from the National Science Foundation under Award Numbers 0532536 and 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.