Nanotechnology Research Scientists

1. FUTURE JOBS READERS Level 4-② Nanotechnology Research Scientists

2. What Is Nanotechnology? Nanotechnology is the moving or changing of matter at an atomic or molecular level. What is nanotechnology? Looking at nanoparticles under a high-power microscope What are nanoparticles? Nanoparticles are smaller than atoms. They are a million times smaller than things that researchers can see with the average microscope.

3. The Benefits of Nanotechnology Why do people study nanotechnology? Researchers in a lab • Researchers study nanotechnology . . . • to understand the world around us. • to develop technology that we can use in our daily lives.

4. To Make Things Using Nanotechnology Yes, it is. By moving around molecules to form certain shapes, nanotechnologists can build materials with amazing uses. Is it possible to make things using nanotechnology today? Putting on sunscreen What is an example of something made using nanotechnology? Sunscreen contains tiny nanoparticles that protect your skin from the sun.

5. Uses for Nanotechnology - The Medical Industry How is nanotechnology used in different fields today? In the medical industry, nanotechnologists are doing great things. They can attach tiny cameras to small pills that a person can swallow. What are researchers still working on? Blood cells Doctors in a hospital • Nanotechnologists in the medical field are trying to . . . • make nanoparticles that stick to medicines to kill harmful cells from the inside. • use nanoparticles to grow new nerves to repair damaged body parts.

6. Uses for Nanotechnology - Transportation What kind of nanotechnology research is being done in transportation? • Nanotechnologists are trying to develop . . . • more environmentally friendly fuels for cars or special engines that don’t make the air dirty. • ways to check the strength and safety of bridges, roadways, and other structures using nanotechnology. An environmentally friendly car Checking a bridge over a roadway A cracked road

7. Nano-bots What is a nano-bot? A nano-bot is a special molecule that researchers use in the same way we use robots to build cars and computer parts. Shopping in a supermarket What can nano-bots be used for? A tiny robot With nano-bots, some scientists think they will be able to make everything from diamonds to food in the future.

8. Becoming a Nanotechnologist –Ⅰ How can a person become a nanotechnologist? To become a nanotechnologist requires a lot of education. Nearly all nanotech scientists these days hold Ph.D. degrees. They study a lot of biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, and mathematics. Does it only take a lot of study to be a nanotechnologist? University students No, success in this field also requires that a person be good at both concrete and abstract thinking.

9. Becoming a Nanotechnologist -Ⅱ What is it like to be a nanotechnologist? You’ll work in a laboratory, where you’ll use specific scientific equipment, like high-power microscopes. You may work on projects with scientists in other countries, so you may need to travel for research and conferences. Researchers in a lab Where do nanotechnologists work? They work in universities, medical research centers, and businesses. Some nanotechnology research scientists even work from home in their home laboratories. Students with answers

10. Vocabulary • atomn. the smallest unit of a molecule made up of protons, electrons, and neutrons • attach v. to join one thing to another

11. Vocabulary • chemistryn. the study of the structure of substances • microscope n. a piece of equipment that makes small things look bigger

12. Vocabulary • moleculen. two or more atoms joined to each other • pill n. a small, prepared amount of a medicine

13. Vocabulary • physics n. the science of understanding matter, energy, motion, and forces • sunscreen n. a cream used to protect skin from the sun