Fizzy Nano Challenge

Student Worksheet:
Surface Area Challenge

 Research Phase
Read the materials provided to you by your teacher. If you have access to the internet, also explore resources at www.trynano.org.

 Hypothesis
As a team, decide what if anything you think might happen differently when water is added to a whole antiacid tablet or when water is added to a crushed or crumbled up antacid tablet.  In the box below, write a sentence or two describing your team's hypothesis.

	

 Test
Now, test your hypothesis!  Place one whole tablet in one of the two cups provided to you, and crush another tablet inside an envelope to help contain the crumbled parts.  You may also simply crack the whole tablet into ten to fifteen smaller pieces if you like.  Drop the crumbled tablet into the second cup.  Then add about 5 oz. or 150 ml of water to each one.  

 Observation and Results
Observe and discuss what happened -- if anything -- and compare the results with your team's hypothesis. 

 Presentation and Reflection Phase
Present your original hypothesis and experiment observations to the class, and listen to the presentations of the other teams.  Then complete the reflection sheet.

  

Fizzy Nano Challenge

Student Worksheet:

 Reflection 
Complete the reflection questions below:

1. How accurate was your hypothesis compared to what happened? 

2. What surprised you about what you saw?  

3.  What other hypotheses were developed by other student teams?

4. What do you think might have happened if you used a larger whole tablet instead?  What about if you were able to crush the tablet into a powder?

5. Did you think that working as a team made this project easier or harder?  Why?

6. Give an example of how surface area impacts another material.