Key learning points

1. The prefixes milli-, micro-, nano-, and pico-, in this order, subdivide a metre into smaller and smaller divisions.
2. Nanoparticles are 1-100 nm in size, and are larger than atoms and molecules.
3. The smaller a particle, the bigger its surface area to volume ratio.
4. Nanotubes are very small and extremely strong fibres that are thermal and electrical conductors.
5. Nanoparticles have many applications; new applications for nanoparticulate materials are an important area of research.

Keywords

• Nanometre - A unit used to measure very small distances, equal to 10⁻⁹ metres or one billionth of a metre.

• Nanoparticle - A very small particle, typically ranging from 1 to 100 nanometres in size.

• Standard form - Written in the form a × 10ⁿ, where 1 ≤ a < 10 and n is any positive or negative integer.

• Nanoparticulate - A material composed of nanoparticles.

• Surface area to volume ratio - The total surface area of an object divided by its volume.

Common misconception