Teaching Materials (1-9 of 9)

1. Resolving Power – Seeing is Understanding

   03 Dec 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Edward Lawrence, NNCI Nano

   This lesson introduces students to light microscopes and their limitations in viewing small features and objects.  In addition, they will learn about more powerful imaging tools by understanding the principles of operation of electron and atomic force microscopes. As a culminating...

2. Achoo! Pollen Does More than Make Us Sneeze

   18 Mar 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Holly Leddy, NNCI Nano

   Harness the power of a scanning electron microscope to let students see that pollen is more than just the yellow dust that makes us sneeze sometimes! Students will learn to use scale bars to interpret size on microscope images, thus meeting math as well as science standards. Using that...

3. Scanning Probe Microscopy: "Feeling" What You Can't See at the Nanometer Scale

   21 Jan 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Sandrine Martin, NNCI Nano

   Scanning probe microscopes are important tools that allow researchers to examine nanoscale objects and materials. In this lesson, students simulate the function of a scanning probe microscope.This activity works best in groups of 3 students. Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPMs) of various types...

4. CDs and DVDs as Diffraction Gratings

   13 Jan 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Rama Balachandran, Karen Porter Davis, NNCI Nano

   The objective of this lab is to compare the diffraction behavior of light waves between a CD and DVD. CDs and DVDs contain regularly spaced micrometer sized features which can act like a diffraction grating. Using commercial electronic storage devices like CDs and DVDs as gratings rather than...

5. Modeling Sanning Probe Microscopes (SPM)

   06 Jan 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Woodward Maxwell, NNCI Nano

   The Modeling Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) lab is designed to show students the principles of how a Scanning Probe Microscope works and how mapping on a smaller scale provides a more detailed view of a surface. Students will use a conductivity apparatus to model the mapping behavior of an...

6. Seeing Nano II: Using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to see Nano-size Objects

   06 Jan 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Samantha Andrews, NNCI Nano

   Students will explore the storage capacities of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The AFM allows us to image objects that are extremely small in size, often on the nanoscale (10-9m). Students will access an AFM via Remotely Accessible Instruments for...

7. Big vs. Little - Micro to Nano

   02 Jan 2020 | | Contributor(s):: Ellie Devine, Lisa Perazone, NNCI Nano

   This is a five part lesson dealing with size and scale. Elementary children will explore the concept of size by comparing and categorizing objects, then constructing various sized structures.  The lesson is designed to begin their understanding of big and small which will be important as...

8. Taking a Closer Look at Objects

   11 Jan 2017 | | Contributor(s):: Georgia Institute of Technology, NNCI Nano

   For students to understand their world they often need to use tools to gather information.  Some tools will help them see parts of their surrounding world that they would otherwise miss. These tools include magnifying glasses and microscopes. ...

9. Illinois ECE 460 Optical Imaging, Chapter 4: Microscopy

   out of 5 stars 

   28 Jul 2008 | | Contributor(s):: Gabriel Popescu, Andre da Costa Teves, Christopher Nixon, Glen Svenningsen

   This chapter presents the main concepts and techniques of Microscopy: Resolution, Contrast, Dark Field Microscopy, Schlieren Method, Phase Contrast Microscopy, Quantitative Phase Microscopy and many other techniques.Notes developed by Professor Gabriel Popescu from University of Illinois at...