Physics Commons^™

Information Literacy & Open Access For Physics And Astronomy Graduate Students, Jackie K. Werner

University Library Faculty Presentations

This presentation covers research on the physics and astronomy graduate students’ use and understanding of open access resources. The research, which was conducted in summer 2015, surveyed the physics and astronomy graduate students of Georgia Institute of Technology to discover how graduate students discover open access and other academic resources, as well as their level of awareness about open access in general and specific OA databases in particular. The research also included an interview with the graduate studies advisor in the Physics & Astronomy department Georgia Tech. The presentation also describes open access resources in Physics and Astronomy and relates …

Nasa Nebraska High Altitude Ballooning And The Fab Lab, Kendra Sibbernsen, Michael Sibbernsen

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

The NASA Nebraska High Altitude Ballooning (N-NHAB) program has collaborated on projects with the Fab Lab at Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Omaha, NE. Based on the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms, the Fab Lab contains 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, and much more. In its trial phase, the Fab Lab encouraged projects from the sciences. In response to this request, one of these projects involved a HAB student who wanted to streamline custom circuitry for measuring the efficiency of solar cells. The circuit pathways were designed and precisely cut from a copper sheet and the laser cutter …

Microfluidic Generator Of Sub-10-Micron Hydrosomes, Zhenghao Ding, Lunjun Liu, Gabriel C. Spalding, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Known as the fundamental “lab on a chip” technology, microfluidics is a thriving young research area that first took off in the 1990s. It is commonly used for reducing the amount of material required for biochemical analysis, such DNA sequencing. Its narrow tunnels can annihilate turbulence even in high-speed fluid flow, facilitating controlled, systematic processing. Also, by leveraging lithographic techniques developed for the semiconductor industry, enormous capability can be integrated into a single microfluidic chip. We have thus far utilized templates designed and fabricated by previous students in our lab, for fabrication of a series of microfluidic chips, made of …

Assembly, Alignment, And Maintenance Of An Automated Laser Cutter, Zhenghao Ding, Lunjun Liu, Gabriel C. Spalding, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

We have assembled a kit for an automated laser cutter system, intended to play an important role in a wide variety of student-led design projects on our campus. We began by electrically soldering the wiring for a powerful (60 Watt), pulsed infrared (10.6µm wavelength) CO₂ laser beam, which can thermally induce shock waves that locally ablate a wide range of (non-reflective) materials. The laser tube itself generates significant heat when operating, so we also assembled the required water-cooling system. Given the high powers involved, careful alignment this invisible laser was required, to ensure that the beam is safely contained …

A New Laboratory For Mm-/Sub-Mm-Wave Characterization Of Cosmic Dust Analogs, Lunjun Liu, Thushara Perera, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

At visible wavelengths, cosmic dust obscures many interesting astronomical environments such as stellar nurseries and new planetary systems. Studying how light interacts with cosmic dust would help reveal the nature of the objects and environments that are obscured by dust. In order to study the optical properties of cosmic dust analogs in the lab, we constructed a custom apparatus, which consists of a vacuum chamber, a cooling mechanism to vary the temperature of dusts in an astronomically interesting range (7-50 Kelvin), and a long-wavelength spectrometer. Since completing the construction of the custom apparatus, we are currently assembling and testing the …

Size Matters, Morton Sternheim

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

Size matters in the way materials behave. An introductory PowerPoint and an activity write-up. Three activities illustrate how the surface to volume ratio changes as the size changes. In the first, a deck of playing cards is used to make square arrays of cards of increasing size. Next wooden cubes are used to make similar observations in 3 dimensions. Finally, comparing the rates at which an intact Alka Seltzer tablet and a crushed tablet react in water shows the effect of particle size on chemical reactions.

Nanotechnology Overview Powerpoint, Mark Tuominen

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. This PowerPoint gives an overview of the field and introduces the teacher summer institute.

Gelatin Diffusion Experiment, Jennifer Welborn

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

In this activity, nanotech participants will:

- See how food dyes and gelatin are used to model the delivery of nanoscale medicines to cells in the human body - Measure diffusion distances of 3 different colors of food dye by: Eye, photo image on a computer, ADI software (Analyzing Digital Images) Some useful websites:

• http://www.echalk.co.uk/Science/biologyContent.htm Life Processes and Cells
• http://workbench.concord.org/database/activities/321.html Molecular Workbench Database. Diffusion, osmosis, ...

Atomic Force Microscopes, Rob Snyder, Jennifer Welborn

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

PowerPoint overview. A student activity that builds an atomic force microscope model.

The Science Of Two Dimensional Materials (Powerpoint), Jun Yan

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

Graphene is a single atomic sheet of graphite.

Exercise: how much graphene do we need to cover the surface of the empire state building?

Nanoscale Thin Films, Rob Snyder

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

An activity that makes a nanoscale film of oleic acid on water. The student will

• Learn about Ben Franklin’s observations of a thin film that had a nanoscale dimension.

• Create a very thin film with a very dilute solution of oleic acid.

• Use data you collect to determine if you made a thin film with a nanoscale dimension that formed on the surface of water.

• Learn about the molecular interactions that resulted in the formation of the thin film.

• Be introduced to the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Self-Assembly

Ozone, Uv, And Nanoparticles, Morton Sternheim, Jennifer Welborn

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

•Ultraviolet light causes skin damage and cancer •Ozone in the stratosphere blocks UV •Sunscreen blocks UV, partly •Nanoparticles in sunscreen improve blocking Sunscreen PowerPoint and activities based on NanoSense web site:

http://nanosense.sri.com/activities/clearsunscreen/index.html

Powers Of Ten: From Meters To Nanometers And Beyond, Rob Snyder

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

The goal of this activity is to guide students toward an understanding of nanoscale dimensions by:

• Making a number of measurements using meter sticks, magnifiers, microscopes and spectrometers so students can make observations and generate their own data.

• Using scientific notation to compare the measurements they have made with the dimensions of very small structures

Self Assembly, Mark Tuominem, Jennifer Welborn, Rob Snyder

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

No abstract provided.

Magnetic Memory: Data Storage And Nanomagnets, Mark Tuominem

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

An overview of magnetic data storage and a simple activity.

Nanomedicine, Mark Tuominen

Nanotechnology Teacher Summer Institutes

An overview of nanomedicine. The end goal of nanomedicine is improved diagnostics, treatment and prevention of disease. Nanotechnology holds key to a number of recent and future breakthroughs in medicine.

Producing Electricity With Solar Cells, Chris Emery, Rob Snyder

Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars

No abstract provided.