Feynmans talk

EE453 Fundamentals of Nanoelectronic Spring 2019

HomeWork – “Plenty of Room at the Bottom” by Richard P. Feynman 1. What did Feynman say people talked about as soon as he mentioned the subject? Describe one of the examples they gave, and tell how he objected. Identify his example and give details. 2. Read the sections "Information on a Small Scale" and "How Do We Write Small?" Identify and describe how, according to Feynman, all of the information people have accumulated in all the world's books can be written, and identify instead of which other way. In what thing did he say this can be done? (Hint: Identify shape, size, and composition.) To what common thing you know did he compare this thing? (Hint: It can barely be seen by human eyes.) 3. How is Feynman's theory related to biology? Give one of his examples, and one of yours. State some fundamental problems in biology of the time, and identify how, he said, answers to these problems can be found, then tell what is one easy answer to the problem, and two particulars, to this answer. How did he suggest many problems of biology would be made easier to solve? What, did he say, is marvelous about a "biological system"? 4. What is important about Feynman's talking of looking at someone's face? How did he involve computers? What else did he think about computers, microfilm, and the electron microscope of the time when he wrote this article? 5. What did Albert R. Hibbs suggest to Feynman regarding uses of nanotechnology? Have these suggestions become useful today? Include in your answer information at the Web sites Nanotechnology, and Nanotechnology in the News (with links to articles on Nanotechnology and NASA Applications, Medicine, Recent News, and Prospects). (Urls of the sites noted are cited in the Related Internet Sites section below.) 6. As one goes down in size, what problems arise, according to Feynman? Give Feynman's example (hint: Van der Waals), and your own example. Explain your choice; including a connection between it and Feynman's theory. 7. "When we have some control of the arrangement of things on a small scale" what, did Feynman claim, will be true? What new opportunities would there be when atoms are dealt with on a small rather than a large scale? 8. Why did Feynman mention "If only I could train an ant to do this"? What did he leave to the imagination? Why, according to him, should anyone do any of this? Why and how should high schools get involved? 9. "When we have some control of the arrangement of things on a small scale" what, did Feynman claim, will be true? What new opportunities would there be when atoms are dealt with on a small rather than a large scale?