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Description

Different ways of growing salt or sugar crystals for Explore Science

Resources

As per the method you choose to make

Instructions

**Crystal Needles

Ingredients/Resources:
- a cup or glass jar
- 1/2 cup of epsom salt
- 1/2 cup of hot tap water
- optional: drop of food colouring

Method:
1. Pour all the ingredients in to the cup/jar
2. Stir until all the salt is dissolved. There may be some still at the bottom, and that's ok
3. Place your cup/jar in the fridge for at least 3 hours
4. Have a look at your crystals, scoop them out and have a close look


**Salt Crystals

Ingredients/Resources:
- salt
- 2 cups of water, this needs to be hot
- heatproof bowl or pot
- jar
- pencil
- string

Method:
1. Tie a piece of string to your pencil so that when you rest your pencil across the top the jar, with the string hanging inside the jar, your string is not touching the bottom
2. Heat your water in the microwave, 2 minutes or heat in a pot
3. Add your salt a tablespoon at a time, stirring really well until completely dissolved
4. Keep stirring in salt until you see salt grains that won't dissolve when stirred, you may have some salt at the bottom and that's ok. You now have a super saturated solution (most find this at about 6 tablespoons)
5. Pour your solution into your jar and place your pencil with the string on the jar
6. Place your jar in a safe place when it won't be disturbed. Check your string is hanging down in the middle of the jar and is not touching the sides



**Sugar Crystals

Ingredients/Resources:
- 1 cup of water
- 3 cups of sugar
- pot
- clean glass jar
- pencil
- string (not nylon)
- optional: food colouring

Method:
1. Tie a piece of string to your pencil. When the pencil is resting across the top of the jar, the string should be able to hang into your jar without it touching the bottom or sides
2. Boil your water in the pot. Stir in the sugar a spoonful at a time. You want to make sure there is lots of sugar, but not so much that it doesn't all dissolve into your solution. So keep stirring until it becomes clear, but not for more than 5 minutes
3. Add a few drops of food colouring if you want to colour your crystals
4. After your solution has cooled a little bit, carefully pour the solution from the pot into your jar
5. Find a safe place for your jar to sit undisturbed for a week. Place your pencil with the string across the jar, making sure your string is hanging down into your solution, but not touching the bottom or sides
6. You can place a tissue across the top to keep any unwanted things out

or you can make these crystals on sticks, often know as Rock Candy

To prepare the sticks the day before. Fill a glass with water, pour some sugar on a small plate, and lay out a sheet of waxed paper. Dip one end of each stick into the water and then roll it in sugar, tapping it gently to remove excess. Set each stick to dry on the waxed paper. If you are using a skewer, cut of the pointed end.

Follow instructions 2 - 4. Now place your sugar stick into your jar, and put your jar in a place where it won't be disturbed. Check them each day and gently stir the sticks around to break up any large crystals forming on the surface

Tags

• crystals
• experiment
• science

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