M8D1: Where Can I Find Nanotechnology Today?

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Carbon nanotechnology. Computer model of buckminsterfullerene (C60) balls in a carbon nanotube.The colored peaks show electron waves. The nanotube is a cylinder of carbon atoms less than a billionth of the width of a human hair. Buckminsterfullerene balls (Bucky balls) are spherical groups of 60 carbon atoms. A nanotube stuffed with Bucky balls (a peapod) is a good conductor of heat and electricity.

The readings you have done in this module should help you separate the ideas for the future of nanoscale products in our lives from the reality of what is already happening today. Some researchers call today’s application of nanotechnology evolutionary nanotechnology rather than the revolutionary applications envisioned for the future. These researchers recognize the fact that we are at the very early stages in working with materials at the nanoscale, and it will take time and further discoveries to realize the “revolutionary,” world-changing impact that some people are touting today. Nanotechnology can be found currently in many products, services, and industries. Perhaps you are not aware of all these applications, since many of them are subtle changes to existing products and services. In this discussion, you will explore one application of nanotechnology, share your findings with the class, and engage in a dialog around these applications.

Completing this activity will assist you in mastering Module Level Outcome 2 and 3.

First:

• Read Definition – What Is nanotechnology? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. on the NANOWERK website.
• Then, go to the right side menu titled “Nanotechnology Introduction Menu,” scroll down to “Nanotechnology Applications,” and click on this link. An extensive list of 16 different applications opens.
• Select one application for nanotechnology from the list. Read all the information provided.

Next:

• Compare what you have found on the NANOWERK website about your chosen application of nanotechnology with the information on this application that exists in the rest of the module readings and/or from your own library research on the topic.

Next, submit the following:

• Address these points in your initial post:
  1. Describe the application of nanotechnology that you selected.
  2. Explain whether nanotechnology is currently in available products or services or if it is still in the planning/research stages.
  3. How does the information in NANOWERK compare to any other information you found about this application?
  4. Do you think nanotechnology research will bring the revolutionary change in our lives that some predict? Explain your position using data and facts from the readings and your own research on the topic.

Your initial post responding to this assignment should be no shorter than 250 words. Include both in-text citations and complete APA style references for all the sources you used to inform your work. Once you have posted your own discussion response, you are required to comment on the posts of at least two of your classmates. You can agree or disagree with their posts, but you must explain why you have chosen to do so. Also, be sure to read the feedback on your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module.

Always be sure that your posts are respectful, polite, and considerate. Please see the Excelsior policy “Guidelines for Online Interaction (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.” if you have any questions or concerns.

You are also encouraged to do your own research through our library on the topic. Do not forget to include in-text citations and complete APA style references for all sources. The Excelsior Library Citation Tip Sheets and Resources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. will be a helpful guide. You may also wish to use a citation generator – you just insert the information, and it creates the citation in the format you indicate (MLA or APA, for example). Here are 3 citation generators to choose from:

1. Citation Machine (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
2. Bibme (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
3. EasyBib (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Your initial post is due by Thursday at 11:59 PM EST. Your responses are due by Sunday at 11:59 PM EST.

Consult the Discussion Posting Guide for information about writing your discussion posts. It is recommended that you write your post in a document first. Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to make your initial post, click on “Reply.” Then copy/paste the text into the message field, and click “Post Reply.” 

This is a “post first” discussion forum. You must submit your initial post before you can view other students’ posts.

To respond to a peer, click “Reply” beneath her or his post and continue as with an initial post.

Evaluation

This discussion will be graded using a rubric. Please review this rubric prior to beginning your work. View the rubric by clicking on the gear icon at the top right side of this page or on the Course Rubrics page within the Start Here module. All discussions combined are worth 30% of your final course grade.Image credit:

Carbon nanotechnology. Credit: Drs A. Yazdani & DJ Hornbaker/Science Photo Library/Universal Images Group. Retrieved from Britannica ImageQuest: http://quest.eb.com/search/132_1193357/1/132_1193357/cite.