memorymetals(lessonplan).docVIP

Memory Metals (Lesson Plan) (Nitinol, A Shape Memory Alloy) Suggested Grade Level 9-12 Standard Statements 3.1.10 E Describe patterns of change in nature, physical, and man-made systems. 3.2.10 B Apply process knowledge and organize scientific and technological phenomena in varied ways. 3.4.10 A Explain concepts about the structure and properties of matter. 3.6.10 C Apply physical technologies of structural design, analysis and engineering, personal relations, financial affairs, structural production, marketing, research, and design to real world problems. 3.8.10 B Analyze how human ingenuity and technological resources satisfy specific human needs and improve the quality of life. Content Objectives Students will know that A shape memory alloy “remembers” its original shape after being deformed. Nitinol is an alloy of nickel and titanium. Scientific work involves human curiosity and imagination and is affected by social priorities and by the individuals involved. Nitinol can undergo phase changes while in the solid state, and these phases are temperature dependent. When Nitinol is in one phase (austenite), it is rigid and superelastic; when Nitinol is in another phase (martensite), it is soft and easily deformable. Macroscopic changes are changes you can see; microscopic changes are changes you can’t see. The temperatures at which Nitinol changes phase depends on the amount of nickel and titanium present in the alloy. Nitinol is used in a myriad of commercial applications. Process Objectives Students will be able to Devise a procedure to determine which metal is Nitinol among a set of unknown metals. Make the distinction between macroscopic and microscopic changes by observing Nitinol’s behavior in hot and cold water. Determine the relationship between percent composition and transformation temperatures by examining Excel data from a manufacturer of Nitinol. Devise and carry out a procedure to estimate the percent composition of nickel in a sample of