大象传媒

Uses of nanoparticlesNanoparticles

Nanoparticles are 1 nm to 100 nm in size. They have very large surface area to volume ratios. The properties of nanoparticulate substances are different from those of the same substance in bulk.

Part of Chemistry (Single Science)Material choices

Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles are structures, 1 to 100 nanometres (nm) in size, that usually contain only a few hundred . This means that nanoparticles are larger than atoms and simple .

Learn more on nanoparticles in this podcast.

Comparing the size of nanoparticles

Nanometres

The size of nanoparticles can be compared easily using the nanometre scale. For example:

  • an 8 nm nanoparticle is larger than a 4 nm nanoparticle
  • an 8 nm nanoparticle is larger than a single atom with a diameter of 1 nm

Standard form

The size of nanoparticles and other atoms and molecules can be compared using standard form.

The sizes get smaller going down this table:

UnitDecimal Standard form
1 cm0.01 m1 脳 10-2 m
1 mm0.001 m1 脳 10-3 m
1 渭m0.000,001 m1 脳 10-6 m
1 nm0.000,000,001 m1 脳 10-9 m
Unit1 cm
Decimal0.01 m
Standard form1 脳 10-2 m
Unit1 mm
Decimal0.001 m
Standard form1 脳 10-3 m
Unit1 渭m
Decimal0.000,001 m
Standard form1 脳 10-6 m
Unit1 nm
Decimal0.000,000,001 m
Standard form1 脳 10-9 m

Question

List these numbers in order of size, starting with the smallest.

ABCD
5 脳 10-95 脳 10-85 脳 10-107 脳 10-9
A5 脳 10-9
B5 脳 10-8
C5 脳 10-10
D7 脳 10-9

Question

If one carbon atom has a diameter of about 1 nm, estimate the length of a nanoparticle that is 10 carbon atoms long. Give your answer in nm and in standard form.