ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope

Okay kiddo, an electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope is a really cool scientific tool that lets us look at tiny things that are too small for us to see with our own eyes.

You know how you can zoom in on a photo on your tablet or phone to see more detail? Well, a scanning tunneling microscope (STM for short) kind of does the same thing but with things that are super duper small, even smaller than a tiny bug.

Now, the electrochemical part of the microscope means that it can look at how things react chemically when electricity is involved. This is important because many things in our world use electricity in some way, like batteries or solar panels. Scientists can use the STM to study how these things work at a molecular level.

Here's how it works: the STM has a tiny needle that is so small you can't even see it with your own eyes. The needle is like a big ant that can crawl over the surface of really tiny objects. This needle is connected to a special machine that sends a tiny electric current through it.

As the needle moves around the surface of a tiny object, it senses the electric current and sends information to the machine. This information can be used to create a super detailed 3D picture of the tiny object being studied.

So, to sum it up, an electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope helps scientists study really small things and how they react to electricity. It is like a super powered magnifying glass that works with electricity.