School Lab

Material Research

maximum of 28 participants
grades 7 and 8:  9 am till 1 pm
grades 9 and 10: 9 am till 2 pm
grades 11-13: 9 am till 11:30 am or 12:30 pm till 3pm

The first part of this project day provides an introduction to the topic of diffraction and interference. Based on experiments at the double slit and the grating, the relationship between wavelength, slit spacing (grating constant) and the position of the interference maxima is explained (as an equation). This is the theoretical basis for understanding the diffraction methods used to investigate atomic structures at BESSY II.
In the second part of the project day, an example of a material that was investigated at HZB using diffraction methods will be presented: the shape memory alloy Nitinol. Diffraction measurements can be used to visualize the structural phase transition that is responsible for the amazing properties of this material. This is because nitinol is a metal that can remember its previous shape.

This example is therefore a very good example of what materials research means: macroscopic properties can be explained by understanding the microscopic structures and processes.

The material is examined experimentally, and the pupils can also make their own shape from Nitinol wire and take it home with them.

At last a quiz will help to wrap up the day.

Please bring your own lunch.