This simple activity conveys one of the most profound aspects of Nanoscience – that for a given volume of material the total surface area increases non-linearly as the volume is divided into smaller and smaller pieces. This concept is being applied to creating better batteries and catalytic converters. Students will measure the time it takes effervescent tablets, which have been broken into different number of pieces, to dissolve. Calculations of surface area and volume can also be performed along with graphing techniques.

This resource contains multiple documents for download including a Teachers Guide and Presentation Slides. To view a list of all documents click on the Supporting Docs tab.

National Science Foundation

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Nano-Link Center for Nanotechnology Education, Deb Newberry, Billie Copley (2020), "Surface Area to Volume Ratio," https://nanohub.org/resources/33177.

  BibTex | EndNote

1. ATE Centers
2. educator resources
3. English
4. forces and interactions
5. high school
6. K-12
7. middle school
8. Nano-Link
9. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
10. non-linear scaling
11. Size effects
12. surface area
13. surface area to volume ratio