National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Students will calculate surface area, draw graphs, and approximate the populations of  bacteria and nanobes. Before starting this lab, the student should understand how to 1) calculate the surface area of a circle, 2) draw and label a graph, 3) define circumference and radius. This activity works well after students have covered linear functions—students expecting a linear graph may find the nonlinear (exponential) relationship as a pleasant surprise.