"Exploring Materials - Thin Films" is a hands-on activity in which visitors create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. They learn that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors. "Explore Science - Zoom info Nano Rainbow Film" (2016) version designed for groups and community outreach.
Resources
Objectives
The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its structure on the nanoscale.
The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its stucture on the nanoscale.
The thin film reflects differently depending on how thick it is, so you can see different colors
Credits
Developed for the NISE Network with funding from the National Science Foundation under Award Numbers 0532536 and 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.
The Science Museum of Minnesota
NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.
