Want to know how to make crystals?

Probably few of us have ever wanted to be a chemist, at least for a while, to have a pleasantly chilling feeling, what happens when water is poured into acid or acid into water? Of course, the second option is correct. We will not bother you with what is the proof of reducing sugars with Fehling's solution, what pH is the salt that is formed from which acid and base, etc.

Let's talk a little bit about crystal production. The production of crystals is simple and can be carried out at home with commonly available raw materials, such as sugar, acetate, rock salt (also table salt, sodium chloride), sodium carbonate (soda for washing), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, also baking soda, "ta" soda, which is used against heartburn), magnesium sulfate, sodium thiosulfate (both of the latter raw materials can be bought in a pharmacy), blue rock, etc.

Production of salt crystals

You will need: two glasses, hot water, rock salt (table salt, sodium chloride), a plate and a thread.

Pour hot water into a glass and add as much salt as will dissolve in the water, resp. stop filling when the salt stops dissolving and stays in the form of crystals. This will give you a saturated solution. Undissolved salt drops to the bottom of the glass. Pour a little solution on a plate. As the water cools, salt crystals (seed crystals) begin to form on the plate. This is due to the fact that the water gradually evaporates, becomes supersaturated from the saturated solution and results in the crystallization of the solute, in this case sodium chloride.

Repeat the procedure, ie pour hot water back into the glass, add salt until it dissolves, and after the undissolved salt has settled, pour the clear liquid into a clean glass. You can filter the solution through a coffee filter or a tissue or napkin. Place the seed crystals that have formed on the plate on a thin thread and hang the thread in a glass with a clear liquid and cover with a napkin to slow down the evaporation of water. During the few weeks that the water evaporates, salt crystals grow on the seed crystals. They are very fragile and of course soluble in water. The production of salt crystals is fun and informative, especially for children.

The production of crystals for children can be made not only of salt, but also, for example, of baking soda, borax (sodium tetraborate), or baking soda (sodium carbonate).

How to make ice flowers?

You will need: a pot, boiling water, magnesium sulphate (so-called bitter salt, it can be bought at the pharmacy), white glue, a brush and a glass.

Pour so much magnesium sulfate into the pot with boiling water until it stops dissolving and the undissolved crystals begin to settle to the bottom of the glass. Another 40% solution is not supersaturated! In practice, this means that at least 40 g of magnesium sulphate are dissolved in 100 ml of water. It is therefore sufficient to use a small amount of water, while warm water accelerates dissolution. Add two drops of glue to the prepared solution and apply a small amount of liquid to the glass with a brush. The water evaporates and the crystallizing magnesium sulphate forms a fine film - ice flowers.

Are you fascinated by karst caves and karst phenomena?

Karst is created by surface and groundwater activities in the landscape, which is based on soluble rocks and minerals, especially limestone, gypsum and halite). From a chemical point of view, water and atmospheric carbon dioxide are exposed, creating carbonic acid, which gradually disrupts the limestone. Calcium cations and bicarbonate anion begin to be released. Staples are formed by reprecipitation of dissolved limestone. Stalactites growing from the ceiling are called stalactites, stalactites growing from the bottom of the cave are called stalagmites, and if these formations merge into a so-called column, it is a stalagmite.

And how about stalactites in the home environment?

You will need two glass jars, a saucer, a thread made of absorbent material (eg cotton, a piece of yarn), two stones to load the yarn, magnesium sulphate or baking soda. Pour hot water into both glasses and add magnesium sulfate - the amount that will dissolve. Place the containers a short distance from each other and place a plate between them. Cut a piece of cotton yarn, tie a stone at each end as a load and place each end in one container so that the yarn is not taut but sagged above the plate. Upon swelling, the cotton yarn soaks up the solutions and the mixed solutions begin to drip at the sag point. After a few days, the water evaporates to form thin stalactites and stalagmites.

If you are interested in the production of luminous crystals, then we recommend purchasing a complete set for their production.

She wrote the article for you on November 13, 2021: Mgr. Radka Brichcínová

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