Characterizing Electrolytic Materials

The lab is designed to help students understand that the resistance of an object depends on length, cross-sectional area, and the type of material. Students measure the current through objects to see that different materials resist current in different amounts. Students will find that, for most applications, making the object smaller will produce a better result. They will learn how materials at the nanoscale often have different properties of the macroscale version and why it is important to characterize materials before using them to create devices.