SHORT ANSWERS
1. Who coined the word "Nanotechnology"?
ANS: K. Eric Drexler coined the word "Nanotechnology".
2. Who wrote the book "Engines of Creation"?
ANS: K. Eric Drexler wrote the book "Engines of Creation".
3. What is the meaning of the Greek word "Nano"?
ANS: "Nano" means "dwarf".
4. What is the meaning of "Technology"?
ANS:"Technology" is a process of using scientific principles and techniques to
design new materials, devices, and systems for prosperity, comforts,
betterment and enhancement of human life.
5. What is Atomic Engineering?
ANS:Atomic Engineering is the science involving manufacture of products with
different properties by rearrangement of atoms.
6. Define: Nanotechnology.
ANS:Nanotechnology is atom-by-atom or molecule-by-molecule building of
structures that will be helpful in manufacturing new devices and systems.
7. How much is 1 micron in meter ?
ANS:1 micron is equal to 10-6 meter.
8. What is the size of an integrated circuit transistor?
ANS:The size of an integrated circuit transistor is 90 nm.
9. What is the size of a virus?
ANS:A virus is 50 nm in size.
10. Mention the width of a DNA molecule.
ANS:A DNA molecule has width of about 2 nm.
11. What is the diameter of the hydrogen atom?
ANS:The diameter of the hydrogen atom is 0.1 nm.
12. What is the full form of MEMS?
ANS:"MicroElectro Mechanical Systems" is the full form of MEMS
13. What is the size of red blood cells?
ANS:The size of red blood cells is 5000 nm.
14. What is the size of a quantum dot?
ANS:The size of a quantum dot is 5 nm.
15. Who invented STM(Scanning Tunneling Microscope)?
ANS:Gern Binnig and Heinrich Rohre of IBM Research Lab invented STM in
1981.
16. What can be considered as a loose atom or molecule floating in space?
ANS:Anything smaller than a nanometer can be considered as a loose atom or
molecule floating in space.
17. What made it possible to study atoms and their manipulation in developing
new structures ?
ANS:The invention of Scanning Tunneling Microscope(STM) made it possible
to study atoms and their manipulation in developing new structures.
18. What is the full form of AFM?
ANS:The full form of AFM is Atomic Force Microscope.
19. Which two types of fundamental molecules find wide applications in
nanotechnology?
ANS:Bucky balls and carbon nanotubes are two types of fundamental
molecules that find wide applications in nanotechnology.
20. Why does nanotechnology play by different rules ?
ANS:Nanotechnology plays by different rules because of larger surface area
relative to the volume of nanomaterials.
21. Who discovered Buckminsterfullerene(bucky ball)?
ANS:Robert F. Curl,Jr.; Harold W. Croto; and Richard E. Smalley discovered
the buckminsterfullerene in 1985.
22. What does a bucky ball comprise of?
ANS:A bucky ball comprises of 60 carbon atoms in the architectural
configuration of a soccer ball(sphere).
23. Who designed the famous geodesic dome?
ANS:American architect Buckminster Fuller designed the famous geodesic
dome.
24. What are carbon nanotubes? OR What are fullerenes?
ANS:Carbon nanotubes are long tubular structures formed by joining bucky
balls without their ends closing so that spheres are not formed.
25. Who conceptualised carbon nanotubes?
ANS:Richard Smalley conceptualised carbon nanotubes.
26. What is a bucky tube?
ANS:A bucky tube is a carbon nanotube derived from bucky balls.
27. Mention the types of carbon nanotubes.
ANS:The types of carbon nanotubes are:(1) Single Walled Nano Tube
(SWNT)and (2)Multi Walled Nano Tube (MWNT)
28. List out the areas of nanoscience.
ANS:The areas of nanoscience are:(1)nanotubes (2)nanofabrication
(3)nanomaterials (4)nanocomposites
29. Who photographed nanotubes for the first time ?
ANS:Sumio Tijima of NEC Laboratory photographed nanotubes for the first
time.
30. Why do carbon nanotubes have very high tensile strength ?
ANS:Carbon nanotubes have very high tensile strength due to carbon-carbon
bonds and the fact that each carbon tube is a very large molecule.
31. How do carbon nanotubes conduct heat ? OR Why do carbon nanotubes have
high thermal conductivity ?
ANS:Carbon nanotubes have high thermal conductivity because they conduct
heat by vibrations of covalent bonds between carbon atoms.
32. How is nanotechnology useful in destroying tumours of cancer ?
ANS:A nanoshell of 100nm diameter floating through the body will be able to
get attached only to cancerous cells which upon excitation by a laser beam will
dissipate heat and destroy the tumour.
33. How can the melting point of materials be tuned using nanotechnology ?
ANS:The melting point of materials can be tuned by controlling their particle
size in the range of nanoscale.
34. How can collateral damage be minimized during explosion using
nanotechnology ?
ANS: The collateral damage during explosion can be minimized by varying the
size of nanoparticles in munitions.
35. What is the use of nanocrystals ?
ANS:Nanocrystals can be used to transform electricity into light without
excessive loss of energy due to heating.
36. Which fields of science will be affected by the progress of nanotechnology ?
ANS:The fields like nanotubes, nanofabrication, nanomaterials and
nanocomposites will be affected by the progress of nanotechnology.
37. Mention two phenomena which are dominant and important at nanoscales(as
compared to larger dimensions).
ANS:Sticking and friction are dominant and important at nanoscales.
38. How can the mapping of DNA of a newly born baby be useful ?
ANS:The mapping of DNA of a newly born baby can help obtain information
about future potential problems, enabling to curtail diseases at an early stage.
39. Mention the range of wavelength of visible light in nanometer.
ANS: The range of wavelength of visible light is 400 to 700 nm.
40. Who outlined the "Vision and Prospects of Atomic Engineering'?
ANS: Richard Feynman.
41. What is the diameter of human hair?
ANS: The diameter of human hair is 75000 nm.
42. What is the full form of GPS?
ANS: The full form of GPS is Global Positioning System.
43. What is the size of MEMS?
ANS: The size of MEMS is 10-6 to 10 -4 m.
44. What is the size of a nanoshell?
ANS: The size of a nanoshell is 100 nm.
1. Which of the following is an example of top-down approach for
the preparation of nanomaterials?
a) Gas phase agglomeration
b) Molecular self-assembly
c) Mechanical grinding
d) Molecular beam epitaxy
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: Mechanical grinding is an example of top-down
approach for the preparation of nanomaterials. All the other options
are the example of bottom-up approach.
2. Which of the following is an example of bottom-up approach for
the preparation of nanomaterials?
a) Etching
b) Dip pen nano-lithography
c) Lithography
d) Erosion
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: Dip pen nanolithography is an example of bottom-down
approach for the preparation of nanomaterials. All the other options
are the example of top-down approach.
3. The properties like melting point, solubility, color, etc changes on
varying the
a) Size
b) Composition
c) Surface properties
d) None of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: The properties like melting point, solubility, color, etc
changes on varying the size of the particles. These all are the physical
properties and depends upon the physical characteristics of the
particle.
4. The properties like dispersibility, conductivity, etc changes on
varying the
a) Size
b) Composition
c) Surface properties
d) None of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: The properties like dispersibility, conductivity, etc
changes on varying the surface properties of the nanoparticle. These
all are the chemical properties and depends upon the surface
characteristics of the particle.
5. Quantum confinement results in
a) Energy gap in semiconductor is proportional to the inverse of the
square root of size
b) Energy gap in semiconductor is proportional to the inverse of the
size
c) Energy gap in semiconductor is proportional to the square of size
d) Energy gap in semiconductor is proportional to the inverse of the
square of size
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: The energy gap in a semiconductor is proportional to
the inverse of the square of size. This effect is a result of quantum
confinement.
6. Which of the following is the principal factor which causes the
properties of nanomaterials to differ significantly from other
materials?
a) Size distribution
b) Specific surface feature
c) Quantum size effects
d) All the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: Size distribution, specific surface feature and quantum
size effects are the principal factor which causes the properties of
nanomaterials to differ significantly from other materials.
7. Select the incorrect statement from the following options.
a) Self-assembly is a top-down manufacturing technique
b) In self-assembly, weak interactions play very important role
c) Self-assembling molecules adopt a organised structure which is
thermodynamically more stable than the single, unassembled
components
d) Compared to the isolated components, the self-assembled
structure has a higher order
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: Self-assembly is a bottom-down manufacturing
technique. All the other options are correct. In self-assembly, weak
interactions play very important role, self-assembling molecules
adopt a organised structure which is thermodynamically more stable
than the single, unassembled components.
8. Which of the following is the application of nanotechnology to
food science and technology?
a) Agriculture
b) Food safety and biosecurity
c) Product development
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: The application of nanotechnology to food science and
technology are agriculture, food safety and biosecurity, product
development, food processing and ingredient technologies.
9. What are the advantages of nano-composite packages?
a) Lighter and biodegradable
b) Enhanced thermal stability, conductivity and mechanical strength
c) Gas barrier properties
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: The advantages of nano-composite packages are-Lighter
and biodegradable, enhanced thermal stability, conductivity,
mechanical strength and gas barrier properties.
10. The efficiency of today’s best solar cell is about
a) 15-20%
b) 40%
c) 50%
d) 75%
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: The efficiency of today’s best solar cells is about 40%. A
solar cell, or photovoltaic cell is an electrical device that converts the
energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect.
