This activity introduces students to size and scale. These concepts are important in forming the necessary cognitive framework for making sense of nanoscience1.
Size and scale are important in understanding the ‘big science ideas’ in nanoscale2 science.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
- describe, using appropriate language, the size of a range of different objects
- compare the sizes of objects with other objects
- explain that there are enormous scale differences in our universe3
- understand that there are worlds that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
Download the Word file (see link below) for:
- introduction/background notes
- what you need
- what to do
- extension idea
- image cards
- scale ladder.
Nature of science
To communicate in science, we need to use correct terms, vocabulary and conventions. One of the conventions involves the use of ancient Greek or Latin words to develop terms. For example, nano comes from the Greek term ‘nanos’, meaning dwarf, and macro comes from the Greek term ‘makros’, meaning long.
- nanoscience: The study of atoms, molecules and objects whose size is on the nanometre scale (1–100 nanometres).
- nanoscale: Refers to dimensions below 100 nm. Also refers to the small size, often only a few nm, at which the properties of a substance are different to properties of bulk material.
- universe: All matter and energy, including the Earth, the galaxies and the contents of intergalactic space, regarded as a whole.
