Simply
put, a nanoscale
balance for determining mass, small enough to weigh viruses and other sub-micron scale particles. "A mass attached at the
end of a nanotube
shifts its resonance frequency. If the nanotube
is calibrated (i.e., its spring constant known), it is possible to measure
the mass of the attached particle." A nanobalance "could be useful
for determining the mass of other objects on the femtogram to picogram size
range." See Weighing The Very Small. Transmission electron microscope image shows "nanobalance:"
a resonating carbon
nanotube
used to determine the mass of the attached carbon
particle.
Source
|