How to grow crystals with salt

How to grow crystals with salt:

How to grow crystals with salt:  To use chemical reactions between water and potash alum(Potassium) in the creation of various crystal formations.
Crystals consist of an orderly arrangement in the molecular structure of a solid object, this pattern known as crystallinity.

Crystals can be man-made by heating water with a chemical known as potash alum. Many geometrical shapes can be created through this process, such as cubic, hexagonal, tetragonal crystals.

Important notice: parental or teacher guidance required for all process.

Hypothesis:

When Rochelle salt (Potassium sodium tartrate )mixture is Supersaturated, the atoms will form patterns of crystals.

Variables:

• Time
• Quantity of Rochelle salt.

Materials Needed

1. Oven top
2. Potholder
3. Scale (grams)
4. Thermometer
5. Spoon
6. Tweezers
7. Small drinking glass
8. Medium size jars with tight lids
9. Distilled water
10. Rochelle Salt
11. Pencil
12. Paper

what is rochelle salt: Potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate, also known as Rochelle salt, is a double salt of tartaric acid first prepared (in about 1675) by an apothecary, Pierre Seignette, of La Rochelle, France. Potassium sodium tartrate and monopotassium phosphate were the first materials discovered to exhibit piezoelectricity. Wikipedia

Procedures for how to grow crystals with salt:

1. Pour water into a clean jar and pour 100cc of distilled water.
2. Place the jar into the pot of water.
3. Heat the pot then measure with a thermometer until the water in the jar reaches 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Slowly pour 120 grams of Rochelle salt into the glass jar.
5. Stir with the spoon until the Rochelle salt dissolves. Use a potholder to remove the glass jar from the pot.
6. Put the lid tightly on the glass jar. Record your observations.
7. Allow the mixture in the jar to reach room temperature. Then add more Rochelle salt grains into the mixture. Close the lid again and shake well. Record your observations.
8. Shake the jar twice a day for the next two days. Check the size of the additional Rochelle salt grains. Did they increase in size? Record your observations.
9. Remove the lid and pour about an ounce of the contents in the glass jar into another smaller glass cup.
10. Leave for 24 hours.

You should begin to notice the growth process of tiny crystals inside the small glass cup. Remove fragments of crystals using the tweezers. Place them on a paper towel and allow to dry.

The crystals will continue to increase in size within the glass cup. Count the number of crystals you can create. What shapes are they? Record your results.

Summary of Results:

Crystals grow from supersaturated solutions. Crystals rely on their nourishment from outside material. When the atoms of the mixture reach the surface they form in an orderly pattern. This orderly patterned is referred to as a crystal.

See Also.

How to make alum crystal

Chemistry Experiment: Production of Carbon Dioxide

Chemistry Experiment: Electrolysis of Water