crystals

Aim: To learn about a saturated solution and how to make crystals

Crystal video

Definition of a solution: 

A liquid mixture, when something is dissolved into a liquid (eg: sugar in water) 

Definition of saturated: 

Having or holding as much as can be absorbed of something (when no more sugar or borax can be dissolved into the water)

In groups of three, you will make three different types of crystals and compare the results.

Borax Crystals

Borax Crystals time-lapse video

Ratio; 3 Tablespoons Borax per 1/2 cup water

Materials

1)borax

2)cup

3)stick

4)peg

5)pipe cleaners

Process

Step 1: get a cup and put three tablespoons in borax.

Step 2: Get some warm water and put some water halfway to the top of the cup.

Step 3: mix for around 15 minutes

Step 4: after you have done that make a star out of the pipe cleaners.

Step 5: get a peg and clip it on the longest piece of pipe cleaner.

Step 6: Put the peg in the cup sideways. What for 1week.

Sugar Crystals

Sugar crystals video

Ratio: 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water

Materials

1)salt

2)string

3)cup

4)popsicle stick

5)spoon

Process

Step 1: get a cup and put four tablespoons in of sugar

Step 2:: Get some warm water and put some water halfway to the top of the cup.

Step 3: mix for another 15 minutes what until some of the sugar has gone.

Step 4: get the popsicle stick and some string and tie it to the popsicle.

Step 5: put the stick sideways on top of the cup so the string is on the water.

Salt Crystals

Salt crystals time-lapse video

Ratio: 4 Tablespoons salt to 1/2 cup water

Materials

1)salt

2)string

3)spoon

4)stick

5)cup

Process

Step 1:  get a cup and put three tablespoons in of salt.

Step 2: Get some warm water again and put some water halfway to the top of the cup.

Step 3: mix for  10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: get the popsicle stick and some string and tie it to the popsicle.

Step 5: put the stick sideways on top of the cup so the string is on the water.

Findings

Describe your crystals in the table below.

Crystal Type	Shape (Describe the shape)	Size (of individual crystals)	Hardness (Crumbly to Rock Hard)
Borax	cubes	small	hard
Sugar	cubes	small	medium
Salt	cubes	small	hard

What crystals worked out best and why?:

Conclusion: For the crystals, the slatted one worked the best. the sugar one did not work at all because at night it was cold. So not hot enough to make it grow. the borax one only worked at the bottom of the cup but not on the star that we made.

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After watching the videos as a class, explain how the following crystals are formed:

Type	Explanation
Salt	people get salt water and they put it in a big clean pond in a room that is very hot. The water evaporates in steam and the salt is left at the bottom.
Sugar	it comes from sugar cane and they squeeze all the juice and makes it solid.
Snowflakes	when water is frozen and there is lots of oxygen around it and inside it.

CRYSTAL TYPES

AIM: TO LOOK AT THE 7 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRYSTALS

Salt Crystals

Sugar Crystals

Borax Crystals

7 different crystal shapes

The 7 types of crystals

Type	Number of sides	2 examples	Image
Triclinic	7	Turquoise Rhodonite
Monoclinic	8	gypsum, azurite
Orthorhombic	6	topaz, olivine
Trigonal	8	albite Rhodonite
Hexagonal	8	quartz cinnabar
Cubic	6	Rhodonite
Tetragonal	12	zircon rutile