Knowra Nanoparticle Nanoparticle A particle with dimensions typically between 1 and 100 nanometers. Its small size can give it physical and chemical properties that differ from those of the same material in bulk form.
Surface-area-to-volume ratio : The ratio of an object's surface area to its volume, which increases as the object gets smaller. A large fraction of atoms lie at the surface of a small particle, changing its reactivity and interactions.
Nanometer : A unit of length equal to one billionth of a meter. It is the scale used to specify nanoparticle dimensions.
Nanomedicine : The use of nanoscale materials and devices in medicine, including diagnosis, imaging, and treatment. Nanoparticle formulations can carry drugs or alter how therapeutic agents reach tissues.
Bulk material : A quantity of material whose properties are dominated by its interior rather than its surfaces or nanoscale dimensions. Comparing a nanoparticle with bulk material reveals size-dependent changes in properties.
Nanotoxicology : The study of the harmful effects of nanomaterials on organisms and biological systems. Nanoparticle toxicity can depend on size, composition, surface chemistry, and exposure route.
Quantum confinement : The restriction of charge carriers to a small region, which changes their allowed energy states. In some nanoparticles, confinement changes optical and electronic properties as particle size changes.
Particle size distribution : A description of the range and relative abundance of particle sizes in a sample. A nanoparticle sample usually contains a distribution of sizes rather than one exact size.
Drug delivery : The transport of therapeutic compounds to target sites in the body and their release there. Nanoparticles can encapsulate drugs, protect them, and influence their distribution and release.
Molecule : A discrete group of atoms bonded together that forms the smallest unit of a molecular substance. Molecules are defined by chemical bonding, whereas nanoparticles can contain many molecules or atoms.
Nanoparticle exposure : Contact between people or organisms and nanoparticles through routes such as inhalation, ingestion, or skin. Exposure determines which particles can enter the body and which tissues they may reach.
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