Curriculum Overview

In order to process and deliver lots of information⎯as with streaming video, Internet gaming, and cell phone applications⎯engineers are making transistors smaller and faster. They are now able to reach about 10,000 times smaller than the thickness of a single hair! To do this, researchers test the properties of various materials. Then, they experiment with how these materials function together in order to find the optimal solution for a specific application. This lab emphasizes the engineering practice of characterizing a material’s properties in order to use it for a specific application later on. Students explore what affects the resistance of various materials and use a material of their choice to achieve a design goal.