physics

Silver Nano

Silver Nano is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Silver Nano rather than just read about it. In short: Silver Nano (Silver Nano Health System) is a trademark name of an antibacterial technology which uses silver nanoparticles in washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, air purifiers and vacuum cleaners introduced by Samsung in April 2003. Benefits Samsung home appliances, such as refrigerators or air conditioners, have a silver nano coating on their inner surfaces for an overall anti-bacterial and anti-fung…

Key takeaways

Silver Nano belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Silver Nano to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Silver Nano from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Silver Nano (Silver Nano Health System) is a trademark name of an antibacterial technology which uses silver nanoparticles in washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, air purifiers and vacuum cleaners introduced by Samsung in April 2003.

Benefits Samsung home appliances, such as refrigerators or air conditioners, have a silver nano coating on their inner surfaces for an overall anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effect. As air circulates, the coated surfaces contact with the silver ions which can resist any airborne bacteria, which in turn suppress the respiration of bacteria, adversely affects bacteria's cellular metabolism and inhibits cell growth. Samsung says the silver nano technology sterilizes over 650 types of bacteria and that "Samsung WM1245A Washing Machine releases over 400 billion silver ions which penetrate deeply into fabrics of any kind and create a coat of sterilizing protection for a maximum of 99.99% disinfection and an added antibacterial effect of up to 30 days after washing". According to Paul Lipscomb, Product Manager, White Goods, Samsung Australia: "The Silver Wash system means that it's no longer necessary to soak clothes in additives or wash at extremely high temperatures in order to sanitise them. This combined with Samsung front loading washing machine's industry leading water efficiency ratings of up to 5A, creates a major saving on the long term cost of running the washing machine." In 2005 the South Korean Consumer Protection Board concluded Samsung's Silver Wash technology was exaggerated in advertisements, due to test results which showed 99.9% removal of germs by similar drum-type washers of LG Electronics, Daewoo Electronics, and Whirlpool. Samsung rebutted the accusation, saying their products are still superior because they remove 99.999 percent of germs, rather than the 99.9–99.99 percent removed by the other washers.

Environmental concerns The German branch of Friends of the Earth, Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), has asked consumers not to buy a new type of washing machine that uses silver nanoparticles. BUND criticized the product, claiming that considerable amounts of silver could enter sewage plants and seriously trouble the biological purification process of waste water. Friends of the Earth has also claimed that silver nanoparticles have a toxic effect on different kinds of living cells. Samsung countered that only an accumulated amount of 0.05 grams of silver is released per machine, per year, while the released silver-ions quickly bind to non-nano-sized structures in the water. This then raises the question of what structures Samsung thinks these nanoparticles will bind to that they will not later come into contact with marine life.

Regulation In Silver Nanotechnologies and the Environment, environmental toxicologist Dr. Samuel Luoma claims that widespread use of nanoscale silver will challenge regulatory agencies to balance important potential benefits against the possibility of significant environmental risk. As of August 21, 2008, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies estimates that at least 235 manufacturer-identified silver nanotech products are publicly available.

See also Silver compounds Colloidal silver Environmental implications of nanotechnology

References

External links The Silver Nano Health System, Introduction to Samsung Silver Nano

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Silver Nano

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Silver Nano claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Silver Nano before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Silver Nano ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Silver Nano

In research: Silver Nano appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Silver Nano in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Silver Nano is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Nanoparticles by composition, Samsung Electronics products, Silver, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Silver Nano outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Silver Nano in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Silver Nano means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Silver Nano out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Silver Nano in simple terms?

Why does Silver Nano matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Silver Nano?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Silver Nano.