The NIMS KIDS Science Experiment Book “What and Why” is ...

2013

6No.

July-August

The NIMS KIDS Science Experiment Book

"What and Why" is the Start!

The NIMS KIDS Science Experiment Book

"What and Why" is the Start!

When you see something you've never seen before, or when you notice something strange, what do you say? You're probably surprised, and you want to ask "What's this?" or "Why did that happen?" "What and Why" -- Scientists who win the Nobel Prize, and researchers who are active in the world, they were all full of those questions when they were children.

And when they grew up, they were exactly the same. They continue to do their research every day, thinking "I want to understand 'why?'" and "I want to surprise everybody by making something even more amazing to make them say `What's this?'"

This Special Feature introduces experiments that makes you understand what kind of research we are doing at NIMS.

These aren't experiments that you can do at home, but there are plenty of whats and whys in these examples. Research at NIMS creates many things that are important in our daily lives,

and it all begins from these two words, "What and Why."

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Special Workshop Let`s look at atoms! Let's move atoms!

contents

P.4-7

P.8

World`s strongest! The power of high temperature superalloys

P.9

Electricity from coffee!? Waste heat power generation is a great idea!

P.10

More than just the symbol of "everlasting love" - Surprising diamonds.

P.11

the fascinating world of superconductivity!

This Special Feature introduces several experiments so that everyone can imagine just what kind of research we are doing at NIMS. And that's not all! Recently, five "NIMS KIDS" actually visited the NIMS

laboratory and performed amazing experiments that you can't do at home or school. We hope that everyone will read this and be filled with the feeling of scientific curiosity, which we call "what and why?"

NIMS NOW International 2013 July-August 03

The NIMS KIDS Science Experiment Book

Let's look at atoms! Let's move atoms!

Five members of the "NIMS KIDS" visited our lab to open the door to the mysterious world of atoms!

Atoms . . . ?

Mmm...

Have you all heard of "atoms"?

Atoms?

I've heard the word, but . . .

Kazunori Komori, Senior Researcher

"Atoms" are the smallest building blocks, from which everything in the world, or no, everything in the entire universe is made. Of course, because they`re so tiny, you can't see them with your own eyes. "Atoms" are also far too small to see with the kind of microscope you`ve used in school. Today, let's try looking at "atoms" with a special microscope.

The human body . . . Forests, mountains, rocks, and oceans . . . And of course, buildings, bridges, and cars too . . . Everything in the universe is made of atoms!

Let's look at atoms!

Platinum

Graphite

Today, we're going to look at the platinum atoms that have been placed on thin layers of carbon. Can we really see the atoms, one by one?

This is a model of one platinum atom. When it's placed on the graphene sheet, it's easier to search and see.

Transmission Electron Microscope = TEM

We`ll try using this ultra-high performance electron microscope. It's not an optical microscope that uses light, like the ones you`ve used in school. It's a microscope that can investigate much smaller objects by using "electrons."

This is a model of carbon sheet with thickness of only one atom (called "graphene")

Ayako Hashimoto, NIMS Senior Researcher

The size of things, from the human body to nanometer size

Human body (1.6 meters)

1/100 of a meter = 1 centimeter (cm) (Size of a hornet = about 3 cm)

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1/1,000 of a meter = 1 millimeter (mm) (Size of an ant = about 3 mm)

Thickness of a human hair = about 0.08 mm

Let's look through the microscope...

1,500? magnification

Graphene layers

Platinum particles 15,000? Which one ?

Where?

200,000? 600,000?

Platinum Atoms

40,000?

1,000,000?

I saw it !

1,000,000?

1/1,000 of a millimeter = 1 micrometer (Red blood cell = 10 micrometers. Germs are about the same.)

1nm

200-500 nanometers Diameter of one particle of cigarette smoke

1/1,000 of a micrometer = 1/1,000,000,000 meters = 1 nanometer (nm)

Size of one water molecule = about 0.38 nm

Size of one atom = 0.12 nm

NIMS NOW International 2013 July-August 05

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