Try Your Hand at Nano

Student Worksheet:
Liquid Crystal Investigation

 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, you have been given the challenge of investigating how temperature impacts a liquid crystal sheet.  In the boxes below describe what you think will happen as you test the sheet. Try to predict what colors and shapes you might see, and how long it will take before the liquid crystal sheet changes again.

If I place my hand on it for 5 seconds…	If I place my hand on it for 30 seconds…	

		

If I place an apple on it for 5 seconds…	If I place an apple on it for 30 seconds…	

		

If I put an ice cube or cup of cold water on it for 5 seconds…	If I put an ice cube or cup of cold water on it for 30 seconds…	

		

 Investigation
In the boxes below describe what really happened as you tested the sheet. 

Hand on it for 5 seconds…	Hand on it for 30 seconds…	

		

Apple on it for 5 seconds…	Apple on it for 30 seconds…	

		

Ice cube or cup of cold water on it for 5 seconds…	Ice cube or cup of cold water on it for 30 seconds…	

		
  Try Your Hand at Nano

Student Worksheet:
Activity Two - Liquid Crystal Investigation
(continued_

 Observation and Results
Answer the questions below:

1.  How different were your hypotheses from the actual results you saw?

2.  Which test surprised you the most?  Why?

3.  Think of an idea for using a smaller -- or larger sheet of liquid crystals?

4.  Have you ever heard of a "mood" ring?  How do you think this works?

 Presentation and Reflection Phase
Present your original hypothesis and actual measurements to the class.