Nature reinvented resources
The development of new materials with incredible properties is changing the way we live. From LCD TVs to super light airliners, these materials have quickly found their way into pretty much all of the modern technology around us.
One area where modern materials have made a huge impact is in the development of prosthetic devices. Some of these devices are beginning to outperform ‘natural’ body parts.
The ‘Nature reinvented’ resources encourage students into the properties of smart materials and carry out some data manipulation. Students will also explore the possible moral and ethical issues associated with people potentially choosing to replace healthy body parts with artificial prostheses because they offer higher performance.
The activities are designed to be mixed and matched according to teachers’ needs. The challenges can be used as full lesson activities and provide a quick and easy way for the students to apply their knowledge.
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| Duration: 15 minutes |
| A fast paced online video investigating the latest developments in materials and prosthetics. |
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| Duration: 45 - 90 minutes |
| Students investigate different classes of smart material and recommend which type would be the best potential investment. As part of a practical experiment, students identify a material from particular properties. |
Nature reinvented main activity 1 curricula links |
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| Duration: 45 - 90 minutes |
| Students find the most suitable material for a prosthetic foot. They plot graphs of stress against strain and calculate the modulus of elasticity for a number of candidate materials. In a practical experiment, students investigate the properties of smart springs. |
Nature reinvented main activity 2 curricula links |
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| Duration: 10-15 minutes |
| Students are challenged to create a ‘super alloy’ muscle wire for bionic woman Sharna Wagner. A fast and fun activity to find out more about smart materials. |
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| Duration: 10-15 minutes |
| A quick, online, 10 question multiple choice quiz containing a mixture of questions about the ‘Nature reinvented’ video and curriculum subject matter. Students should watch the video first for this. |
Nature reinvented short activity 1 (PDF)
(127 k) Updated 27 September 2007
