About This Lesson
DRIVING QUESTION: How does an atomic microscope work?
What is an atomic force microscope (AFM), and how do they use forces to image a surface at the nanoscale? This four-part hands-on series explores the mechanics, optics, and instrumentation of an AFM. Part 1 (Understanding How Forces Impact Cantilevers & Springs) provides a qualitative exploration into the forces within a cantilever and the relationship to deflection. Part 2 (Hooke’s Law: Calculating the Relationship Between Deflection & Applied Force in Cantilevers) explores the mathematical relationship between added force and deflection within a cantilever, arriving at Hooke’s Law. Part 3 (Instrument Design: Understanding How AFMs Use Optics & Reflected Light to Determine Sample Properties) models how incident and reflected rays of light are used in an AFM and explores how reflected light is related to deflection. Part 4 (Instrument Design: Statistical Analysis with Instrumentation) can be used independently or as an extension of Part 3, using statistical analysis to determine the effectiveness of a given experimental setup.
Each 5E LP contains an accompanying activity lab sheet handout.
This module was developed by Professors Vernita Gordon and Alexandra Eusebi, with assistance from research & UTeach intern Khusbu R. Dalal, at the University of Texas, Austin, with funding provided by the National Science Foundation, Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation, award numbers 1727544 and 2150878, to Vernita Gordon.
If you use any part of this module, please send an email describing your experience to Professor Gordon, gordon@chaos.utexas.edu. Please include the approximate number of students taught. Documenting this module's use and effectiveness will help us obtain more funding for outreach and education in the future.
