Name:

Class period:

Objectives:
- Students will apply their knowledge of surface area and volume to determine how each of
these change when objects are scaled down in size
- Students will experimentally determine how surface area to volume ratio affects reaction rate
- students will use critical thinking skills to design lab procedures to determine if dissolving rates
differ for cube sugar vs granulated sugar
- Students will reflect on what their conclusion implies in terms of the inertness or volatility of a
material at the nanoscale vs the macro scale
- Students will compare surface-area-to-volume ratios of different sized objects and explain that
surface-area-to-volume ratios play a role in the unique properties of objects at the nanoscale.

Materials for each group:
sugar cubes (2)
granulated sugar
100 or 250 mL beakers (2)
stirring rod
balance
hot plates (optional) (2)
stop watch or phone
water/DI water
graduated cylinder

Before you begin:
Which type of sugar has a higher surface area to volume ratio: cubed sugar or granulated
sugar?
granulated sugar

Design an experiment to determine how surface area to volume ratio affects the rate at which
sugar dissolves. Report the basic procedures and items used in the space below -- explaining
your reasoning.
1. Obtain 2 beakers.
2. Put ____ mL of water in each beaker.
3. Dissolve sugar cube in one beaker with constant stirring. Start a stopwatch when sugar is
added.
4. Dissolve granulated sugar in other beaker with constant stirring. Start a stopwatch when
sugar is added.




Questions to Consider
1. Is there a difference in the rate at which the two sizes of sugar dissolve? If so, which one
dissolved faster: granulated or cubed?
Yes. The granulated sugar dissolved faster.


2. What does this tell you about the reactivity of items at the nanoscale versus at the
macroscale?
At the nanoscale, objects are likely more reactive due to the difference in surface area to
volume ratio (availability of unreacted particles to react).


3. What property of the sugar was different between the cubes and the granulated sugar? Is
that property physical or chemical?
shape: physical





Sources:
http://nanosense.sri.com/activities/sizematters/properties/SM_Lesson3Student.pdf
http://www.mrothery.co.uk/exchange/allkeynotesas.htm
http://www.huntington.org/uploadedFiles/Files/PDFs/GIB-
UsingMathtoTalkAboutCellsAnswers.pdf