Use your body heat to change the colour of these compounds!
How it works
Liquid crystal molecules are shaped like springs. When they heat up the coils of the spring come closer together. The distance between these coils affect what wavelength, or colour, of light is reflected - they reflect blue light when close together, and red when far apart.
Try this at home
At room temperature, ice cubes melt into water. See if you can design and build a structure that will stop an ice cube from melting!
Definitions/glossary
- Chemistry: a branch of science that examines properties and interactions of matter
- Liquid Crystals: Flow like liquids, but have their molecules arranged in a crystal pattern.
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Pitch: The distance it takes for the spring-shaped molecule to make a complete “coil.”
- Thermochromic: A change in colour due to a change in temperature.
What's going on at the University
Nanotechnology is the future! These tiny particles are already being in sunscreen, to prevent the growth of bacteria, as nutritional supplements, and many more uses.
This sensor uses the interaction of light around gold nanoparticles to detect the concentration of certain molecules in a solution. It has huge commercial potential in medical diagnostics, drug discovery, and environmental monitoring.
How to become a chemist
The first step to becoming a chemistry student is to graduate from high school with the required math, science, and english courses. After high school, you will attend a post-secondary program. Chemistry students at Waterloo prepares are prepared for a growing number of dynamic career options. They could be searching for the roots of crippling diseases, developing cancer-fighting drugs, or assessing environmental damage.