natural rock crystals

For their education we need special conditions. For example, rock granite comprises crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica, which crystallized one after another as the magma cooled.

Beautiful hexagonal rock crystals grew from hot aqueous solutions saturated with silica SiO 2.

natural sulfur crystals

Rhombic yellow crystals sulfur grew from the hydrogen sulfide waters of hot springs and geysers.

On the shores of salt lakes and seas you can see cubic crystals of rock salt - halite; white, red, yellow and even blue crystals of carnallite and mirabilite.

Diamonds, the hardest crystals, were formed under enormous pressure in the so-called explosion pipes (kimberlite pipes).

So, nature has created and continues to create mineral crystals. Can we see the mystery of crystal growth? Can we grow them ourselves? Yes of course we can. And now I will tell you how to do this at home.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SALT

Grown salt crystals

In order to grow crystals of table (rock) salt (halite - NaCl), you need to place a container of water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Then remove the container from the stove and dissolve regular salt from the pack in it. Constantly stirring the solution, add salt until you notice that it no longer dissolves.

The resulting salty solution must be filtered and poured into a flat container, for example, a saucer. The water will cool and begin to evaporate, and on the edges of the saucer and on its bottom you will see transparent cubes of regular shape - these are crystals of rock salt and halite.

You can grow a large crystal, or several large cubic crystals. To do this, place a woolen thread in the container in which you dissolved the salt. As the solution cools, it will become covered with salt cubes. The slower the solution cools, the more regular the crystals will have. After some time, growth will stop.

To grow one large crystal, you need to select one, the most correct one, from the many crystals formed at the bottom, place it on the bottom of a clean glass, and pour the solution from the previous container on top.

For the right crystals to grow, they need peace. Do not shake or move the table or shelf on which the container with growing crystals stands.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SUGAR

You can grow sugar crystals in the same way as salt crystals. Sugar crystals can also be grown on wooden sticks; this can be a beautiful addition to any holiday sweet dish. Food coloring added to the solution will color the sugar in all the colors of the rainbow.

Sugar crystals

Below is complete instructions, how to grow sugar crystals on sticks.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM COPPER Sulfate

Copper sulfate is sold in gardening stores; from it and slaked lime, “Bordeaux liquid” is prepared to protect plants from fungi and various diseases.

In order to grow a crystal of copper sulfate (Cu SO 4 * 5H 2 O) of the correct shape, powdered copper sulfate should be dissolved in water at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. At higher temperatures, the solubility of copper sulfate decreases. Dissolve the powder until dissolution stops. At the end of a wire or woolen thread we tie a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulfate. Where can I get it? You can look for a larger crystal in the same bag from which you poured the vitriol into the water. If you don’t find one, leave your solution to cool, and after a while you will see small crystals at the bottom.

Choose one and tie (or glue) it to a wire or thread. Filter the solution. Then dip the prepared seed (crystal on a thread) into it. Never put the seed into a hot solution! The seed may simply dissolve. A large crystal of copper sulfate grows for several weeks. A crystal grown to the required size must be varnished, since the moisture contained in the air will eventually lead to its melting and destruction.

They are grown in a similar way; you can read a detailed article about this by following the link in this sentence.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM ALUMINUM POTASSIUM Alum

grown crystals of potassium alum

Potassium alum (KAI 2 * 12H 2 O - mineral alunite ) sold in pharmacies in powder form. This is a good product that “dries the skin” and kills pathogens, this substance does not cause allergies and it is not toxic. Good crystals can be grown from potassium alum powder. Alum should be dissolved in warm water until saturated and the solution filtered. After a few days of being in a quiet place, at room temperature, small crystals will appear at the bottom of the container.

potassium alum (burnt alum) can be bought at the pharmacy

From these crystals you need to select several pieces of the correct shape and place them in another container. Then they are filled with the same solution. You can hang the seeds on thin threads (they can be glued to the thread with strong waterproof glue). Once every two or three days, the crystals should be transferred to a new glass, the solution should be filtered and the growing crystals should be poured into it again. Alum crystals, When grown to the required size, they should be varnished so that they do not melt from air moisture and lose their shape.

It is advisable to prepare solutions for growing crystals using distilled water.

At home you can get artificial malachite, using copper sulfate and washing soda, but these will not be beautiful crystals or an openwork patterned stone, but a green or dirty green sediment at the bottom of the vessel (powder). Beautiful malachite, practically indistinguishable from natural, can only be obtained using industrial equipment.

Enterprises also grow crystals of many minerals. But this cannot be repeated at home; this requires special equipment. Most crystals (quartz, amethyst, ruby, emerald, diamonds, malachite, garnets, etc.) are grown in cast iron autoclaves under high pressure. Temperatures reach 500-1000 degrees, and pressure – 3000 atmospheres.

Crystal Growing Kits

crystal growing kit

Now in toy stores in large cities, kits for growing crystals have appeared on sale. From powders ammonium and potassium dihydrogen phosphate, to which dyes are added, interesting prismatic and needle-shaped crystals can be grown. In order for the crystals to turn out large enough and beautiful, you must strictly follow the attached instructions.

Strangely, the instructions that come in the box pictured do not indicate what chemical is used to grow the crystals or what dye is used. Otherwise it is quite detailed.

It seems like magic when beautiful crystals appear out of nowhere in a simple glass of water. In fact, crystals are formed from substances dissolved in water. Try an experiment to grow salt crystals and you'll learn more about how they form and grow.

Steps

Easy to grow salt crystals

Heat water in a saucepan. You will only need a little, about ½ cup (120 milliliters) of water. Heat the water until it starts to gurgle.

Choose salt. There are many different types of salt, and each produces a specific crystal shape. Try the following salts and see what happens:

Dissolve as much salt as possible in water. Remove the pan from the heat. Add about ¼-½ cup (75-150 grams) of salt to the water and stir the water until it runs clear. If there are no grains left in the water, add another spoonful of salt. Add salt until it no longer dissolves in the water.

• So what have you just received? supersaturated solution. This means that the solution (liquid) contains more salt than water can dissolve! When you heat up water, its molecules speed up and the distance between them increases, causing more salt to dissolve in it than under normal conditions.

1. Pour the water into a clean jar. Carefully pour hot water into glass jar or other clean heat-resistant container. It must be very clean so that nothing interferes with the growth of crystals.

   Add food coloring (optional). With a couple of drops of food coloring you can change the color of the crystals. However, adding food coloring may cause the crystals to be slightly smaller and lumpier.

   Tie a string around a pencil. The pencil should be long enough to fit across the neck of the jar. Instead of a pencil, you can take a small stick (for example, an ice cream stick).

   Cut a suitable piece of twine so that it hangs freely in the jar. Crystals will grow only on the part of the string that is immersed in water. In this case, the string should not touch the bottom of the jar, otherwise the crystals will turn out lumpy and small.

   Place a pencil on top of the glass jar. In this case, the string should hang down and sink under the water. If the pencil rolls, secure it with tape.

   • Be careful not to let the string touch the sides of the jar, otherwise you will end up with a collection of small crystals.

2. Place the jar in a safe place. Keep the jar out of the reach of small children and pets. Here are some options:

   Wait for crystals to form. Check periodically for any salt crystals on the string. Epsom salt and alum crystals can form in just a few hours, although sometimes it can take a couple of days. Table salt crystals usually appear after 1–2 days, and sometimes after a week. Small crystals will appear on the string first and will gradually grow over the next couple of weeks.

Various options

Try different substances. There are many chemicals from which crystals can be grown in the manner described above. Many of them can be purchased at a chemical store. Here are just a few options:

Make a snowflake. Tie several pipe cleaners or stiff wires into a star shape. Dip the resulting figure into the saline solution and watch how small salt crystals stand out on it. The salt will cover the star and you will have a sparkling snowflake.

1. Create a whole scattering of crystals. You can grow not just one, but many crystals. Place a cut sponge or activated carbon tablets in a container and fill them with the prepared salt solution. Add a little vinegar and leave the solution overnight.

   • Pour in enough solution to thoroughly saturate the sponge and completely cover it.
   • To grow colorful crystals, add a drop of food coloring to each piece of sponge.

• If dust gets into the water, the crystals may become smaller or have an irregular shape. To prevent this from happening, cover the jar with gauze or paper towel. The gauze and paper allow the water to evaporate, which will speed up the growth of the crystals.

Growing crystals at home is a wonderful and exciting activity that can distract your child from harmful gadgets for a long time. Real magic will happen before your eyes - to the surprise of both adults and children. And if you grow a crystal from sugar, the result will be not only beautiful, but also tasty.

The main thing is to be patient, crystals do not grow quickly, they need time. But you won’t have to wait a year either. One or two weeks is enough - and now the crystal is ready. Of course, it is not possible to grow ruby ​​or emerald druzy at home, but one way or another, the process will be very entertaining and interesting.

You should know that when artificial jewelry is grown in industrial conditions - diamond, ruby ​​and other crystals - the process is very slow, but it is possible to grow one crystal big size. And if many small crystals are required, then the process must proceed quickly.

Methods

Cooling the solution

In this case, prepare a salt solution and then cool it. In this case, a chemical reaction occurs when dissolved substances in water precipitate due to a decrease in temperature and, accordingly, settle on the walls of the vessel or on a carefully placed stick or thread.

If the cooling is slow enough, you can grow several fairly large crystals of beautiful, geometrically correct shape. And if you cool it immediately and sharply, then many small salt crystals form, and all of them are of arbitrary, irregular shape. After all, with rapid and rapid growth, close proximity becomes crowded. But sometimes it can be fun to grow such crystals - a miracle happens literally before our eyes. Ruby crystals, of course, cannot be grown this way, but in any case, the result and process will be interesting.

Removing water

With this method, water is gradually evaporated from a solution of salt or sugar - naturally. It is important to evaporate the water as slowly as possible - the result will be more accurate. It is advisable to generally cover the container with the solution with paper. As a result, you will get large, beautiful crystals. In addition, this way dust will not get into the vessel and spoil all the beauty.

A thread or stick is usually placed in the vessel - crystals grow on these objects. If you don’t put anything in, crystals will begin to form at the bottom of the vessel - in this case, you will need to periodically turn the crystals over so that they grow evenly on all sides and have the correct edges.

The water will begin to evaporate over time and it will be necessary to add fresh nutrient concentrate.

The interesting thing is that even if the crystal was initially irregular, for example, it grew in a cramped environment, then if it is separated and grown separately, over time it acquires a correct, beautiful shape, as if “recovering.”

What to use?

Let's consider what materials a crystal can be grown from:

Salt for cooking
Copper or iron sulfate
Alum
Sugar. The result will be beautiful and tasty. By the way, sometimes in stores and especially in tea boutiques, you can see sugar crystals on sticks that are sold. If you’ve seen it, you’ll agree that it’s very appetizing and looks gorgeous, but the price is disappointing. But you can grow sugar crystals yourself, delighting yourself and surprising your loved ones

Salt crystal

Table salt is found in every home, so this cheap, unpretentious material can be used for crystal experiments. In general, a crystal can be grown from any salt. But not everyone has access to chemical reagents and substances, so sodium chloride is the most accessible salt to us, in contrast to complex and expensive substances for growing ruby ​​or emerald.

Pour water into a glass and place it in a container with water. Any water will do. If you need ideal growing conditions, use distilled water. And if you’re just conducting an amateur experiment, tap water will do.
Salt should be poured into a glass and stirred. It will begin to dissolve. If the water in a large container begins to cool, constantly add warm water.
Add salt and dissolve it by stirring and maintaining a constantly high temperature of the water that surrounds the glass

Add more salt until it stops dissolving. You will understand this when you see that the newly added salt simply begins to settle at the bottom. That's it, concentrated salt solution is obtained
Now it should be poured into another container. In this case, the sediment that formed from the last addition of salt should be left in the old glass - it will not be useful for growing crystals
Carefully sort through your salt and find a large enough crystal, then place it at the bottom of the glass with the solution. New crystals will form and grow around this “base”
It will be more difficult to tie the crystal by a thread and hang it in a container with a solution - but at the end you will be able to get a thread hung with clusters
After two days, you can already notice the growth that has begun. Moreover, with each subsequent day they will become larger and more beautiful. If you want, you can add food coloring to the water - and you will have your own ruby ​​or peridot crystals

If you do the whole process again and use the crystal you grew as a “base”, it will increase even more. This can be continued practically ad infinitum. If you want, you can grow a salt crystal the size of your palm or smaller.

Keep in mind that a standard 200 gram glass can hold about 70 grams of salt - that's 3.5 tablespoons. This should be taken into account when preparing the solution. The proportion is calculated for a water temperature of 20 degrees. If you increase the temperature, more salt may fit into the glass. This refers to the amount that can dissolve in water without precipitation.
Adviсe

It is not recommended to remove growing “jewels” from the nutrient solution into the air. This may slow down or stop their growth altogether.
It is better to cover the container where the “pet” grows, since even the ingress of ordinary dust can be detrimental to the “growing organism”
Be sure to monitor the solution, update it as necessary - and your “ruby” or “emerald” crystal will delight you with rapid, active growth

It is not advisable to use dishes from which you someday plan to eat for your experiments.
Do not use unknown reagents and chemicals. This could be dangerous
If you conduct experiments using chemicals, be sure to wear gloves and protective clothing.
How to store

Suppose we have grown our jewel. Now you need to find out how to care for it and store it properly.

If you have grown a crystal from alum, it cannot be left in the open air, since under the influence of oxygen it will turn into a grayish powder. Therefore, it should only be stored in a jar with a closing lid. If you are going to keep it in the public domain and show it to friends, then it is better to cover the grown exhibit with a colorless varnish, thereby limiting the supply of oxygen. You can also cover it with color, stylizing it, for example, as the color of a ruby.

As for the “minerals” made from copper sulfate and salt, they are more stable. Therefore, for home growing, it is better to start with them. It is clear that it is undesirable to expose the salt crystal to water and keep it in a damp place.

In general, making your own crystals even from salt is quite exciting. By the way, theoretically, a crystal can be grown to any size if an appropriate vessel is found. But such dimensions, of course, are useless. And anyone can grow a neat and beautiful specimen at home. Some particularly enthusiastic chemists, and even amateurs, grew crystals at home of such a size that only a few people could lift the “colossus”.

How to grow a crystal from salt at home - is it difficult? We'll tell you how to grow salt crystals at home

Growing salt crystals at home is an opportunity not only to quickly observe how similar phenomena occur in nature with other materials, but also to get an unusual craft as a result.

Moreover, such a process is completely safe and does not require deep knowledge of chemistry or any reagents; every person has all the objects and substances in their home.

How to grow crystals from salt at home: material and equipment

1. The first and most basic component is salt.. For the success of the crystal growing process, it is important that it is as pure as possible. Therefore, you should give preference to sea salt, because... there is too much small debris in the kitchen room. It is also not recommended to purchase salt with dyes or other additives.

2. Water, which should also be as clean as possible from foreign impurities. If it is not possible to use distilled water, then it is worth at least filtering it first.

3. Non-metallic container for crystal growth. Its size can be limited only by the desired dimensions of the crystal. Important requirements - the material of the container should not color the water or oxidize under the influence of salts. The container should be washed thoroughly. Any foreign objects inside, even if they are small specks, can become the basis for the growth of other small crystals, slowing down the growth of the main one.

4. A small crystal of salt from a pack, piece of branch, leaf, wire, thread or any other object for the basis of a future large crystal. A suitable large piece of salt can be easily found in an almost empty salt shaker. Small particles fall out of it when used, but large particles do not fit through the holes and remain inside. It is necessary to choose the largest one and having a shape as close as possible to a parallelepiped.

5. Something non-metallic for stirring the solution - wooden stick, plastic or ceramic spoon, etc.

6. Filter paper or gauze.

7. Paper napkins or toilet paper.

8. Varnish for coating the finished crystal.

9. Patience. It is not enough to know how to grow crystals from salt at home; you also need to be able to wait. A crystal of more or less decent size will form no earlier than in 3-4 weeks.

As you can see, no complex or expensive equipment is required. All these items and substances are easy to find in absolutely any person’s household.

How to grow crystals from salt at home: sequence of steps

The technology for obtaining a crystal from salt is very simple, and the process requires very little human intervention, mostly just time. A container with clean water is placed in warm water (50-60 degrees, no more), and salt is gradually poured into it, constantly stirring the solution. When it becomes saturated, i.e. there will be so much salt in it that it will no longer be able to dissolve; it is poured into a clean container so that sediment from the old one does not fall into it. You can even further clean the solution from impurities by passing it through filter paper or gauze folded several times.

It is possible to achieve the required water temperature for heating the solution without a thermometer. To do this, mix just boiled boiling water and water at room temperature in a ratio of approximately 1 to 2.

For the traditional crystal shape, this will be a large grain of salt, which is easy to find in any pack;

For an elongated crystal, a thread is lowered into the solution so that it does not touch the walls and bottom;

If you want to get a crystal of a complex and bizarre design, then hang a small twig or curved wire on a thread.

Knowing how to grow crystals from salt at home, you don’t have to limit your imagination to simple objects. To get not just a crystal, but a truly original craft, you can use a wire bent in the shape of a star, snowflake or other similar simple shape into the solution as a base. In principle, you can use absolutely any item that is not subject to oxidation from salts.

Next, the container is covered with a lid, a napkin, a sheet of paper, or basically anything to protect the solution from dust and foreign objects. The container with the growing crystal should be stored in a dark, cool place without drafts. You should not allow strong mechanical impacts on it - too frequent movements, shaking, etc., as well as regular and significant changes in temperature or humidity, i.e. for example, you definitely shouldn’t place a crystal in the bathroom, as well as near the stove in the kitchen or near heating appliances.

Naturally, the larger the crystal grows, the less salt remains in the surrounding water. Therefore, to speed up the process, approximately once a week - ten days it is necessary to add a new salt-saturated solution to the container. And if the crystal has already grown out of an old glass or jar, you can transfer it to a larger one, trying not to drop or break it, because he is very fragile.

The crystal removed from the solution is dried to remove any remaining water by gently blotting it with a soft cloth or regular paper napkin. This must be done very carefully, because the crystal is not particularly durable. For preservation, the crystal is coated with household or manicure colorless varnish. If this is not done, then the life of this beautiful item will be short-lived. In dry air, the remaining water will quickly evaporate, and it will crumble into powder, but with excess humidity, on the contrary, it will absorb excess liquid and spread into a shapeless pile of individual small crystals or even into a pulp.

Table salt will turn into crystals white.

If you want other shades, you can:

Use another type of salt (for example, copper sulfate for a deep blue color);

Cover the finished crystal with a colored coating rather than a transparent one;

Add food coloring to the solution at the crystal preparation stage, for example, those used in baking or for Easter eggs. However, such substances cannot produce very bright colors.

There will be no fundamental difference in the growth rate and shape of the finished crystal when using table or sea salt. However, in the second case, the crystal will be more dense in structure and will be more durable.

If the crystal grows in a slightly different shape than you want, then the excess areas can be carefully scraped off with a knife or nail file, remembering that the crystal is very fragile. It is easy to give the crystal the desired shape if you treat those areas whose growth is undesirable with ordinary Vaseline or other thick, greasy substance. If you need to remove it, this can be done with acetone or alcohol.

In order for the crystal to split, as if branching in different directions, do not add to the solution a large number of glycerin.

Precautionary measures

Table salt is an absolutely harmless substance for humans, because we eat it every day without any health consequences. Therefore, there is no need to follow any safety precautions when growing a salt crystal.

However, to prevent foreign objects from getting into the solution, you should at least collect your hair, or better yet, cover it with a scarf, and wash your hands with soap or even wear rubber gloves. And if there are scratches or wounds on your hands, you simply need to wear gloves, otherwise the strong saline solution will sting strongly. Nothing fatal or harmful, but not a pleasant feeling. Similarly, it is better to protect your hands if salt with dyes is used, and there is a possibility of an allergy to these dyes.

But when working with copper sulfate and other more aggressive salts, it is imperative to take precautions, trying not to inhale the solution, avoid getting it on the skin, and also be in a well-ventilated area and keep small children or pets away from the growing crystals. . Under no circumstances should the containers used for this chemical experiment be subsequently used for receiving or storing food, medicines, personal hygiene items, cosmetics, in general, anything that will subsequently come into direct contact with the human body.

How to grow crystals from salt at home: reasons for failure

Why did the piece of salt used as a base dissolve instead of forming a crystal around itself? This means that the salt solution was not saturated enough to begin with. When preparing it, salt must be added little by little until it no longer dissolves and begins to precipitate. Charts of the solubility of these salts in water of a certain temperature, easily found on the Internet, will help you select the proportions of food and other salts for preparing the solution.

If instead of one, several small crystals suddenly grow in the container, then this indicates foreign impurities in the solution. This could be either insufficiently well-filtered water, debris in the salt, or a poorly washed container into which the solution was poured.

What is the reason for the insufficiently uniform color of the colored crystal? Perhaps when adding the dye it was not mixed very thoroughly. And if the crystal is large, and the saline solution was prepared for it several times, then in one of the times significantly less or more dye was added than in the others.

Of course, even knowing how to grow crystals from salt at home and following all the recommendations, you may not get exactly what you wanted. This is normal, because the conditions in which the growing crystal is placed and the substances used for this may differ. However, over time, you will definitely be able to get the hang of it, select the optimal proportions of components and conditions for crystal growth.

zhenskoe-mnenie.ru

Growing crystals at home is a very exciting process, but quite lengthy. In this article we will tell you how to grow a large and beautiful crystal from ordinary table salt.

How to grow a crystal from salt

You can grow a crystal from different salts (from a chemical point of view), but the easiest way to grow a crystal at home is from ordinary table salt (its chemical name is sodium chloride NaCl).
Important note! You should not paint the solution from which your crystal grows with any paints. This will only ruin everything, and the crystal will still not be colored.

The process of growing a crystal from salt at home does not require any special knowledge or chemical reagents or preparations. Every family has table salt that we use for food. If we look at salt under magnification, we will see that it consists of transparent cubes. These are salt crystals. Our task is only to give these crystals a beautiful shape.

Growing a crystal from salt at home

Let's move on directly to growing a crystal from salt. First, let's make a salt solution. To do this, pour water (preferably distilled) into any small container and place it in a larger container, which also contains water, but warm, 50-60 degrees. This temperature can be easily set on some models of electric kettles. For those who do not have such a miracle kettle, we can recommend mixing one part of the required volume of just boiled water and two parts of water at room temperature. This will be approximately 50-60 degrees. Then pour the salt into a small container and, stirring, leave for about 5 minutes. During this time, the container with water will heat up and the salt will completely dissolve. Then add more salt, mix again and leave until completely dissolved. This procedure must be continued until the salt stops dissolving in the water. What we got is called brine. Carefully pour the saturated solution into a container of the same volume. Make sure that undissolved salt does not fall into the new container.

Now select a larger crystal from the bag of salt and carefully place it on the bottom of the container with a saturated saline solution. The main work is finished - now just wait! After a couple of days you will notice the growth of the crystal, and our crystal will get bigger and bigger every day!

Advice! To speed up the process, after a few days, remove the enlarged crystal from the solution. Prepare a saturated salt solution again and lower our crystal into it. This way it will grow much faster!

This is how easy it is to grow a crystal from salt at home. Send us photos of your crystals, and we will be happy to publish them on the pages of our website Chemistry Problems.

zadachi-po-khimii.ru

How to grow a crystal from salt

Crystals always attract attention with their beauty, naturalness and unusualness. Not only natural types of stones, but also artificially created ones have such characteristics. Many needlewomen and novice chemists are wondering how to grow a crystal from salt at home? Let's figure out this problem, and also find out what is needed to create such beauty, how to speed up the growth process, what to add to the solution to get a bright blue or light blue stone.

What you need to grow crystals at home

To grow a real crystal at home, you need special dishes and an appropriate solution. The process is very long, so nothing may happen in a matter of days. The growth of the stone depends on many factors: the saturation of the solution, temperature and humidity, the type of salt used for the crystal, and the base. To successfully grow such beauty you need to prepare:

• A container where the salt crystal will grow (the dimensions can be any, it all depends on the desired size of the stone). The material from which the dishes are made is important. It should not oxidize in salt water and give off color.
• Table salt (which is used in household use).
• A stick to stir the solution (made of wood or glass).
• White filter paper or napkins.

How to quickly grow a crystal from table salt and water

When wondering how to grow a crystal from salt, be prepared that this task will take you from 3 weeks to 6-7 months, depending on the desired size of the final product. The resulting stone will be very brittle, so you should not touch it with your hands. To preserve such a masterpiece for a long time, coat the product with clear varnish. Let's look at the step-by-step process of preparing a crystal from table salt:

Colored crystal: blue or blue with your own hands

How to grow a crystal from blue salt? Only with the use of special food dyes, which may not give a bright shade. When mixing salt and water, you should also add a small amount of blue. When the molecules begin to connect, the crystal will take on an unusual blue hue. To grow a bright blue stone, you will have to deal with copper sulfate.

You can buy this substance at any store for gardeners and summer residents. You need to do the same things with it as with salt. But since chemical composition Copper sulfate can be hazardous to health; it is recommended to keep the solution out of the reach of children and animals. Here is the step-by-step process for creating a dark blue crystal:

How to make a large white crystal from sea salt

When using the classic method of growing crystals, they are made from table salt, which is used for food. This product is present in large quantities on the shelves of any grocery store and is quite inexpensive. But which salts are best to grow crystals from? Sea salt will also serve the purpose. The difference is what the result will be.

To obtain unusual masterpieces of nature, you need to put a crystal from table salt in one container, and from sea salt in another. In the second case, the growth rate may be greater, as well as the density of the resulting stone. The appearance of the crystals may also differ, but only slightly, since the molecules of sea and table salt are almost the same.

To make a large white crystal from sea salt, use this method:

1. Prepare a transparent glass (or glass jar) for the future process.
2. Dissolve a large amount of sea salt in warm spring water, strain the liquid through a thick cloth or gauze.
3. Pour the saturated solution into the selected glass.
4. Take one crystal of sea salt, tie a thread to it and put it in a container with the resulting liquid for several weeks or months.
5. When the size of the stone is the size you need, remove it, dry it with napkins and varnish it.
6. Once you receive a white stone, you will not be able to paint it a different color, since the food coloring will run off the walls. The only way to obtain a bright shade of a stone is to add pigment directly to the solution from which the crystal will grow.
7. If the liquid level drops to a minimum as the stone grows, pour a solution of the same consistency into the container.

Photos and pictures of crystals of beautiful and unusual shapes

When, after a few months, you get an unusually beautiful crystal, you will definitely want to show the product to your friends and acquaintances and take a photo of it. That is why the Internet is already full of photographs of such unusual stones. They are different in shape: square, rectangular, round and tree-shaped. There are also original colors of salt crystals: yellow, blue, blue, red. See below a selection of photos of the most original versions of salt stones grown at home.

Video instruction: growing houses from ordinary salt

To make it all clear important points growing crystals from salt, watch videos with master classes from experts in this matter. Such educational materials often demonstrate the sizes of the resulting stones at different stages of their growth (after a week, a month, six months). This video instruction will help you properly grow crystals at home from ordinary salt:

How to grow salt crystals

Getting Beautiful Crystals at Home

Crystals look attractive, attract the eye and fascinate. Gemstones used in jewelry are mineral crystals.

Thanks to modern technologies people have learned to grow such beauty on their own, and synthetic gems are difficult to distinguish from crystals of natural origin. Table salt can also grow in the form of crystals. To see this, let's look at ways to grow salt at home.

Materials for growing salt

To grow a salt crystal, prepare an appropriate solution and special dishes. The process itself will take several months, so you will have to be patient. The growth of a salt crystal is affected by air humidity, room temperature, solution saturation, and the type of salt used. To successfully complete the experiment, you will need the following components:

A container made of material that is not capable of oxidation in salt water (a glass jar will do);

Table or sea salt;

Copper wire or thread;

Napkins or filter paper;

Wooden or glass rod for stirring the solution.

Salt growing process

1. Pour distilled water into a container and add salt. Salt must be added until mixing becomes difficult.
2. Place the resulting mixture in a water bath and wait until the salt is completely dissolved in the water.
3. Strain the solution through filter paper or a napkin into a prepared jar.
4. Tie a small salt crystal to a thread and lower it into the cooled liquid. Tie the second edge of the thread to a stick, the length of which is greater than the diameter of the neck of the jar. The stick will help secure the thread with the crystal, which is constantly suspended.
5. Cover the resulting structure with a piece of cloth or a napkin, then place it in a place with the least temperature changes.
6. During the experiment, you must not touch the jar, move or pull the thread with the crystal. The structure must remain motionless.
7. After 4 weeks, the crystal will increase to the size of a bean; after 8 weeks, the diameter of the stone will reach 4 cm. If you need a larger salt crystal, you will have to wait a few more months.
8. Carefully remove the finished crystal of the required diameter from the jar and wipe with a napkin. To protect the crystal from external damage, it is recommended to coat the stone with clear nail polish.
9. After the varnish has dried, you can admire the salt crystal.

A blue crystal is grown in the same way - for this, blue food coloring is added to the solution.

How to grow a white crystal from sea salt

To create a white sea salt crystal, you will need the materials described above. The process of growing salt occurs as follows.

1. Prepare a saturated saline solution in a glass container. Add 40 g of sea salt to 100 g of hot water and stir the solution until the salt dissolves.
2. Cool the resulting liquid, then filter.
3. Let the solution stand for several hours, then filter again.
4. Attach a large grain of sea salt to a copper wire and lower it into a container with a solution so that the crystal does not touch the bottom.
5. Cover the jar with a sheet of paper to prevent foreign objects and dust from getting inside.
6. After two days, carefully remove the wire with the crystal, move it to another vessel and pour the solution into it.
7. Once a week the liquid is filtered.
8. After a few days, the growth of the salt crystal will become noticeable. You can grow the stone until a crystal of the required diameter is formed.

A stone grown from salt is characterized by increased fragility and fragility, so you should not hold it in your hands for no reason. After varnishing, it is recommended to store the crystal in a closed container to avoid damage. Using the described methods, you can grow many salt crystals of different colors at home, using brightly colored food colors when preparing the solution. To find out what other crystals you can grow at home, click here. Such experiments are safe for children.

How to grow a crystal from salt at home

Do you love doing science experiments and want to get your kids involved? Most The best way To do this, try together to grow a crystal from ordinary salt, which everyone probably has in their home.

Safety regulations

The experiments are based on the chemical reaction of a saturated salt solution. Both table and sea water are used almost every day in everyday life; they will not harm you. But still try to work with gloves and a scarf. This will prevent foreign objects - dust, hair - from getting into the liquid.

If you have unhealed wounds or hangnails on your hands, you need to be very careful, as the solution can corrode the skin in damaged areas and cause acute pain.

In order to grow such a crystal at home, you do not need any laboratory equipment. Everything you need is at your fingertips.

Regular salt crystals should have smooth, large edges

Natural or artificial colors should not be added. This makes no sense: the salt crystal will still grow colorless.

How to grow a crystal

So, the reagents in the experiment will be water and salt, and the equipment will be:

• two containers (glasses, half-liter jars or not too large pans);
• filter paper;
• thread or hair.

To grow a crystal you will need salt, water, thread and some kind of container

Note! Jars or glasses must be absolutely clean. Any speck on their inner surface can become the basis for the growth of additional crystals that will interfere with the main one.

Preparation of the solution

1. First of all, you need to prepare a saturated saline solution. Pour water into the jar. It is desirable that it be distilled or at least filtered. Fill the container about 80%, place it in a water bath.
2. At this time, add salt to the jar. If you use a cookware, an unpleasant surprise awaits you - various debris that will float to the surface. Carefully remove it immediately or pass it through filter paper later. Sea salt is usually sold pure. Just don’t take flavored or colored ones with various additives, this will greatly harm the process.
3. Add plenty of salt so that the solution becomes saturated. The recommended proportion is 100 g of product per 150 g of water. Some of the substance must remain at the bottom, because it simply cannot dissolve. Just at this stage, pour the liquid into another jar, at the same time getting rid of small debris and undissolved salt.

The salt solution must be very saturated

Sea or table salt crystal germ

Prepare the seeds on which the crystals will grow. They should be large so that you can easily attach them to the thread.

The easiest way to make a selection is as follows: pour salt into a salt shaker and shake until all the small crystals fall out. Those that did not pass through the holes of the salt shaker and remained inside are perfect for our purpose. Choose the largest one, with a shape close to a rectangle, with a minimum of deviations.

Try to choose the largest and smoothest crystals as the seed of a future crystal

Attach the selected embryo to a thread, and in turn, wrap it around a stick or pencil so that over time it is easy to adjust the depth of immersion.

The main and longest phase of the experiment begins. Immerse the embryos in a saturated solution, poured into a second jar, wrap the container with something warm so that the liquid cools more slowly.

If the solution was sufficiently saturated and pure, within a day the embryos will increase slightly. Otherwise they will dissolve.

Now cover the top of the jar with paper to prevent dirt and dust from getting in, and leave for 3-4 days. The water will gradually evaporate, and the salt will precipitate, growing on the embryo and ensuring the growth of crystals.

It is at this stage that mistakes made during the preparation process may appear. For example, you could attach a loop of filament to the crystal incorrectly and it would simply grow into the middle. To avoid this, secure the embryo not in a knot, but in a thread loop, both ends of which are brought out. After the growing process is completed, pull the ends of the loop one by one to loosen the grip and remove the thread.

You can set any shape to the crystal during the growth period

If you want to grow a crystal quickly, then after a few days remove it from the container. Over time, it should already increase in size. Prepare a new saturated salt solution and lower the crystal into it again.

Some experts advise simply adding the required amount of salt into the jar and mixing thoroughly.

How to make a crystal at home (video)

As you can see, growing a crystal is not that difficult. The main thing is to adhere to the technology and follow the recommendations. Despite the fact that this process is not a quick one, in the end you will get beautiful souvenirs that can be used as decoration or a gift. Tell us in the comments about your experience and what difficulties you faced. Good luck!

How to grow a crystal at home?

Crystals. They impress with their appearance of strict edges and geometric precision, and the ability to create something is certainly a pleasure. In this instruction you will learn how to grow a crystal at home.

Growing a crystal at home is not difficult. You need to make a solution and be patient.

To grow, you will need: water, a saucepan, a transparent glass container (a jar is best for this purpose), table salt, wire or thread. Pour water into a saucepan and put on fire, do not bring to a boil. The liquid should be hot, but not boiling water. After heating a pan of water, start pouring salt into it in small portions, while constantly stirring the solution. A new portion should be added when the old one has already completely dissolved. The solution must be brought to concentration until salt particles no longer dissolve in it. So, the concentrate is ready. Pour it into a jar and let it sit for 24 hours. This is necessary so that small undissolved salt particles settle to the bottom. The next day you may find many small crystals in the jar. You need to select and take out the largest of them, and then tie it to a thread or wire. This will be the seed for the future crystal. After this, the solution must be poured into another container so that other small crystals do not fall into it. If this is not done, particles of crystallized salt will take the dissolved substance for their growth. Dip the seed into the poured solution and be patient. While your crystal is forming, there are a few things you should remember: regarding their cultivation. If the saline solution is cooled quickly, the crystal will grow in a short time, but its geometric shape will be irregular, unlike crystals grown with a gradual decrease in temperature. Also, you should not shake a jar with an ungrown crystal and, of course, you should not take it out until you finally decide that the process is complete. You can add food coloring to the jar with the solution, then you will grow a colored crystal.

If you like experiments or want to spend time interesting and useful with your child, we suggest interesting idea, on growing crystals at home. For an organic entry into the world of entertaining science, we have chosen a very interesting and safe topic. In our article you will find step by step instructions how to grow a crystal from salt, with step by step photos and video.

Necessary materials:

Note: young and old experimenters should not try to grow “colored salt crystals” using food and design paints such as gouache or watercolor. The solution for growing crystals should be as pure as possible. That is why distilled water is considered the optimal liquid for such an experiment, as it is free from various salts and impurities.

How to grow a crystal at home - step by step instructions

Important: when storing the resulting crystals, it should be taken into account that moisture evaporates in the air and the crystals are destroyed. To fix the results, the surface must be treated with varnish. According to the results of observations, the next day the changes in the two vessels are striking. In the working vessel with the filtered solution, the seed crystal did not change in size. In the control vessel, salt flakes fell out and salt sediment crystallized.

Our salt crystal is ready!

Please note: in order to speed up the process, the working solution must be changed periodically. That is, prepare a saturated saline solution again and place the growing crystals there.

When working with crystals for a long time, it may become necessary to grow certain forms. There are also special techniques and rules for this. You can correct growth by removing unsightly growths with a knife, scraping off the excess. The formation of edges can be prevented by treating the crystal planes with Vaseline. If further growth is necessary, remove Vaseline with acetone.

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