Size Matters!
Nanoscience
The area of science where the dimensions play a critical role (in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers).When objects are below 100 nanometers in size they can exhibit unexpected chemical and physical properties.
For example, you could cut a block of gold into smaller and smaller pieces and it would still have the same color, melting temperature, etc. But at certain ranges of the nanoscale, gold particles behave differently. The image below shows how gold nanoparticles of different shapes and sizes are different colors.
Silver and Gold particles have different colors depending on size and shape.
© Northwestern University
The chemical properties (reactivity, flammability, etc.) and the physical properties (melting point, conductivity, etc.) can all change at the nanoscale. So, the properties are dependent on the size of the material. Size-dependent properties are the major reason that nanoscale objects have such amazing potential.
For example, you could cut a block of gold into smaller and smaller pieces and it would still have the same color, melting temperature, etc. But at certain ranges of the nanoscale, gold particles behave differently. The image below shows how gold nanoparticles of different shapes and sizes are different colors.
Silver and Gold particles have different colors depending on size and shape.
© Northwestern University
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