Supersaturated Crystal Garden
Grow decorative, rapid-forming crystals overnight using simple chemistry, demonstrating concepts of saturation and precipitation.
- Takes
- 24 hours (observation)
- Your setup
- 15 min prep
- Ages
- Ages 7–10
- Mess
- No mess
- Cost
- $$
- Where
- Indoors
How to do it
- 1Boil water. Carefully pour 1-2 cups of boiling water into a jar.
- 2Stir in the Borax or Alum powder, one tablespoon at a time, until no more dissolves (this creates a supersaturated solution).
- 3Shape pipe cleaners into a desired shape (star, spiral) or tie a string to a pencil.
- 4Suspend the pipe cleaner/string into the solution without touching the sides or bottom of the jar.
- 5Let the jar sit undisturbed overnight. Observe and document the crystal growth the next morning.
What they're practising
- Chemistry Concepts
- Patience
- Observation Skills
- Thermal Dynamics