Tell Me More! Masks under the Microscope
![](/image/global/science-edu/micro/content8/quiz06_01.png)
The image on the left is a mask viewed under an electron microscope. Find the three images below that are from the same mask!
This mask is made of two sheets of the same material with a different material sandwiched in between. It's better at catching minute particles than normal disposable masks.
Which mask was under the electron microscope?
![](/image/global/science-edu/micro/content8/quiz06_10.png)
Well done!
Now, which mask were those images taken of?
There's one correct answer.
- N95 mask (non-woven fabric)
- Nylon polyurethane mask
- Gauze mask (antibacterial)
Correct!
Properties of N95* masks (non-woven fabric)
N95 masks contain a non-woven fabric made up of many layers of fibers, with each fiber only a few nanometers thick. The non-woven fabric is thicker than a normal disposable mask, so it's better at catching tiny particles.
*N95: a standard of the American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that requires equipment to block at least 95% of all particles measuring 100 to 300 nanometers