01-06-2012, 01:57 PM
AN INTRODUCTION TO CARBON NANOTUBES
AN INTRODUCTION TO CARBON NANOTUBES.pdf (Size: 745.96 KB / Downloads: 233)
DESCRIPTION OF LESSON AND INTENDED STUDENT BODY
My goal of writing the educational transfer plan (ETP) on carbon nanotubes was to
briefly introduce to the high school chemistry student this growing novel area of organic
chemistry in order to enrich their high school chemistry curriculum. Although knowledge of
the fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are not currently a California State Standard, I feel it is
important to create an awareness of the nanosciences and their potential applications in the
future of nanotechnology.
As a high school teacher, all too often my students fail to see the connection between the
chemistry they study and its applications in the real world. The typical question of “when are
we going to use this stuff,” is one that most teachers are asked at one point or another and one
in which I actually encourage my students to pose. Furthermore, I also expect if they ask such a
question, then they are also responsible for finding answers to satisfy their curiosity. In the case
of carbon nanotubes and its underlying chemistry, hopefully this lesson will help them in their
quest.
This lesson plan was written with the assumption that the students are enrolled in an
introductory chemistry class using a 90 minute block schedule which they attend everyday. I
believe this unit can be taught to currently enrolled high school chemistry students in the 10th
through 12th grades who have completed courses in the physical sciences and biology. In
addition, their computer literacy skills should be at a level where they can complete Internet
searches and download information from the World Wide Web.
BACKGROUND LEADING UP TO CARBON NANOTUBES:
Until the mid-1980’s pure solid carbon was thought to exist in only two physical forms,
diamond and graphite. Diamond and graphite have different physical structures and properties
however their atoms are both arranged in covalently bonded networks. These two different
physical forms of carbon atoms are called allotropes.
DISCOVERY OF CARBON NANOTUBES:
The unique geometric properties of this new allotrope of carbon did not end with
soccer shaped molecules, it was also discovered that carbon atoms can form long
cylindrical tubes. These tubes were originally called “buckytubes” but now are better
known as carbon nanotubes or CNT for short. These molecules are shaped like a tube;
imagine a sheet of graphite ("graphene sheet") or chicken wire rolled into a tube.
AN INTRODUCTION TO CARBON NANOTUBES.pdf (Size: 745.96 KB / Downloads: 233)
DESCRIPTION OF LESSON AND INTENDED STUDENT BODY
My goal of writing the educational transfer plan (ETP) on carbon nanotubes was to
briefly introduce to the high school chemistry student this growing novel area of organic
chemistry in order to enrich their high school chemistry curriculum. Although knowledge of
the fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are not currently a California State Standard, I feel it is
important to create an awareness of the nanosciences and their potential applications in the
future of nanotechnology.
As a high school teacher, all too often my students fail to see the connection between the
chemistry they study and its applications in the real world. The typical question of “when are
we going to use this stuff,” is one that most teachers are asked at one point or another and one
in which I actually encourage my students to pose. Furthermore, I also expect if they ask such a
question, then they are also responsible for finding answers to satisfy their curiosity. In the case
of carbon nanotubes and its underlying chemistry, hopefully this lesson will help them in their
quest.
This lesson plan was written with the assumption that the students are enrolled in an
introductory chemistry class using a 90 minute block schedule which they attend everyday. I
believe this unit can be taught to currently enrolled high school chemistry students in the 10th
through 12th grades who have completed courses in the physical sciences and biology. In
addition, their computer literacy skills should be at a level where they can complete Internet
searches and download information from the World Wide Web.
BACKGROUND LEADING UP TO CARBON NANOTUBES:
Until the mid-1980’s pure solid carbon was thought to exist in only two physical forms,
diamond and graphite. Diamond and graphite have different physical structures and properties
however their atoms are both arranged in covalently bonded networks. These two different
physical forms of carbon atoms are called allotropes.
DISCOVERY OF CARBON NANOTUBES:
The unique geometric properties of this new allotrope of carbon did not end with
soccer shaped molecules, it was also discovered that carbon atoms can form long
cylindrical tubes. These tubes were originally called “buckytubes” but now are better
known as carbon nanotubes or CNT for short. These molecules are shaped like a tube;
imagine a sheet of graphite ("graphene sheet") or chicken wire rolled into a tube.