Nanotechnology
The word nanotechnology describes the development
of devices on the scale of atoms. Scientists hope to
use this new technology to produce some amazing
inventions, from nanorobots used in surgery to
nanomaterials that could take people to the Moon.
ROTATING PARTS
Individual carbon and
hydrogen atoms arranged
in a circle could form the
bearings for rotating
parts in a nanomachine.Nanomaterials Scientists are getting
very excited about structures called
carbon nanotubes. These tiny tubes of
carbon atoms are stronger than
diamond and extremely long compared
with their width. They are better
conductors of electricity than
metal, which makes them ideal
for future electronics.Carbon
nanotube268O By weight, carbon nanotubes are
more expensive than diamond or gold.
O In the future, nanotechnology may be
used to assemble individual molecules
into the parts for electronic devices
such as laptops and cell phones.
O Other electronic devices using
nanosized parts include flexible digital
screens and sensors that may detect
chemicals in the air.
O Scientists hope to build nanosensors to
weigh molecules as small and as light as
a strand of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
O Nanotechnology is being used to make
“smart drugs” that target individual
cancer cells and kill specific germs.NANO FACTS
TECHNOLOGY
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The word nano means one-billionth. So
there are one billion nanometers in one
meter (3 feet). Nanotechnology is the
study of devices that are billionths
of a meter (3 feet) in size. To
give you an idea of exactly
how small that is, one
nanometer would be
100,000 times smaller
than the width of a
human hair.
MICROMECHANICS Scientists
have already made machine parts on
the scale of micrometers (millionths of a
meter). The parts are shown below next
to a fly’s leg to show how small they are.Fly’s leg