Thinking Small – Measuring Small Things
Students practice using the micropipette in a group by measuring water into microcentrifuge tubes.Copyright 2018 Amanda Dillingham, Boston University RET
Explore unseen phenomena in the microscopic world through measurements and observations. In this activity, students are introduced to the concepts of size and scale and make sense of sizes at the nanoscale through a card sort activity, in which specific objects must be ordered by size. Students then explore the concepts of measuring small volumes and masses by using graduated cylinders and micropipettes. Finally, they think about how scientists and engineers might use a compound microscope to observe microscopic objects.
Engineering occurs at many different scales and sizes, and nanoengineering is the practice of engineering at the microscopic level such as at nanoscale. The nanoscale refers to structures with a length scale applicable to nanotechnology, 1–100 nanometers. The focus of this activity is to allow students to gain access to the microscopic world around them as an introduction to microengineering and nanoengineering.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Measure mass and volume using a digital scale, graduated cylinders, and micropipettes.
- Use a conversion table to convert between metric units.
- Set up a wet slide and use a compound microscope.
- Identify which sizes of objects they cannot see with the unaided eye.
- Identify the best tool for measuring different objects based on the measurement needing to be taken (for example, using the correct size micropipettes or using the correct microscope).