This key facts covers Key Facts to Memorise within Nanoparticles (HT) for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Nanoparticles (HT) in Bonding & Structure for GCSE Chemistry with 20 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 6 of 12 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 6 of 12
Practice
20 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
📌 Key Facts to Memorise
- Nanoparticles: 1-100 nanometres in size (1 nm = 10⁻⁹ m)
- High surface area to volume ratio — this is the key property!
- More reactive than the same material in bulk form
- May have different properties — optical, electrical, magnetic
- Uses: sunscreens (block UV), catalysts, drug delivery, electronics, antimicrobial coatings
- Concerns: unknown health effects, may be toxic, need more research
- Fullerenes (C₆₀): hollow carbon nanoparticles, can carry drug molecules
- Precautionary principle: not fully understood, so used carefully
Quick Check: State one use of nanoparticles and explain how their properties make them suitable for that use.
Example: Silver nanoparticles in antimicrobial wound dressings. Silver has antibacterial properties. As nanoparticles, silver has a very high surface area to volume ratio — more silver atoms are exposed on the surface, making it far more effective at killing bacteria than bulk silver at the same mass.