We make a crystal from salt at home without special reagents. How to grow a crystal at home from different substances

Crystal… From this word it really blows with magic. I don't know how about magical properties crystals, but a variety of useful physical properties they definitely have. Crystals are widely used in modern electronics, optics, and other fields of technology. And, of course, the crystals are simply beautiful. They attract the eye with their regular shape and natural symmetry. And this applies not only to precious crystals, but also to crystals grown from improvised means.

We already know something about the crystalline state of matter from the article on. It's time to move on to practical exercises 🙂

The crystal growth experiment has a number of features. One of these features is the duration of the experiment. The thing is that a good and beautiful, and, most importantly, a large crystal cannot be grown quickly. This takes time. That is why the experience of growing crystals for nine days developed in the rubric, where you could observe the progress of the process and, perhaps, even conduct your own experiment in parallel. This article is a summary of the information obtained during the experience. So, instructions for those who want to grow a crystal themselves.

For this we need:

• The container in which the crystal will grow. It is best if the container is transparent, for example, glass jar. In this case, it will be convenient to monitor the progress of the process.
• A small piece of cardboard to cut out the container lid
• Funnel
• Filter paper or any material with which it will be possible to filter the solution. You can use a napkin.
• Thread. It is better to take a thinner and smoother thread, for example, silk.
• And, of course, the substance from which we will grow the crystal. Copper sulphate is used in the experiment. The crystal from it should turn out to be a beautiful blue color. In addition, getting blue vitriol is quite simple - it is usually sold in any gardening store. If you could not find blue vitriol or are just too lazy to go to the store, then you can use any crystalline substance, for example, ordinary table salt or sugar.

Before starting the experiment, I must warn you, in case you want to repeat it, about personal safety measures. You will be working with chemicals that can harm you. Do not use food containers for your experiment, use protective equipment (gloves, glasses), wash your laboratory glassware thoroughly. If chemicals come into contact with skin or eyes, rinse thoroughly with water. If swallowed, seek medical attention.

Well, with the formalities over, let's get started.

Day 1.

As I said, growing crystals is a procedure that has some peculiarities. Another feature of this experiment, in addition to the duration, is the need to grow the so-called seed, i.e. a small crystal, on the basis of which a large crystal will grow. You can do without a seed, but in this case it is difficult to grow a beautiful single crystal. Therefore, it is better to grow a seed after all, especially since there is nothing complicated in this.

Prepare a saturated solution.

Pour some into a glass container blue vitriol(hereinafter I will talk about blue vitriol, since it is he who participates in the experiment, but you use the substance that you managed to find).

Pour salt (and copper sulfate is sulfur-copper salt) with a small amount of hot water. The use of hot water is mandatory, because. at elevated temperatures, the solubility of salts increases.

It is better to place the container in a water bath so that the solution does not cool prematurely.

Stir the salt until dissolved, and then add more salt and stir again. We repeat this until the salt ceases to dissolve in water.

Thus, we have obtained a saturated salt solution.

Now the resulting solution must be filtered. This must be done so that no foreign particles, such as dust or impurities, remain in the solution. Foreign particles can serve as additional centers of crystallization, i.e. other crystals will begin to form around them, but we do not need this. At this stage of the experiment, this is not very critical, but later the purity of the solution will be very important.

After filtering, you need to throw a few salt crystals into the solution - seeds will begin to form on them.

Now the container needs to be placed in a place where more or less constant energy will be provided. temperature regime(the window sill is great for this), and cover it with something to prevent foreign matter from entering.

The solution will begin to cool and supersaturate, i.e. salt will begin to become more in solution than it can dissolve at a given temperature. The salt will begin to crystallize, and the grains of salt that we added to the saturated solution will become the centers of crystallization. You will have to wait 2-3 days. After that, we proceed to the next stage of the experiment.

Day 2

It can be seen that crystals began to form at the bottom of the vessel.

Day 3

The crystals have grown. In principle, they are large enough to be used as a seed, but I will try to keep them for another day.

Day 4

Well, enough time has passed, and we have formed a good seed material. It remains to choose the right candidate.

Pretty pretty already, isn't it? But we will not stop there and will continue our experiment.

It seems that the resulting mass of crystals is a monolith, but in fact it is not difficult to separate the crystals.

Try to choose a crystal of the most correct shape. I chose far from the largest available, but I liked its shape the most. The more correct the shape of the seed, the more correct the shape of the crystal will be in the future. To make the dimensions of the seed more clear, I put a match next to it.

Now you need to tie a thread to the seed. As I wrote at the beginning of the article, it is better to take a less fuzzy thread so that side crystals do not form on its protruding fibers. Do not use wire as a hanger.

Now the thread with the seed must be passed through the lid of the container and fixed on the reverse side. You need to fix it so that at any time it is possible to adjust the height of the suspension. For example, you can with reverse side wind the excess thread around a match or secure the thread with a paper clip.

Now we need to prepare a fresh salt solution. It is done in the same way as for the seed: dissolving salt in hot water until it stops dissolving, filtering the solution. In this fresh solution we place our seed. Make sure that the seed does not touch the bottom and walls of the container, otherwise the crystal will begin to grow. irregular shape.

And now we have two ways. The first one is more complex. It requires more attention and effort. The fact is that the most beautiful and regular crystals are obtained when the crystallization process is slow. Therefore, we need to ensure smooth cooling of the salt solution. To do this, we need to place our seed container in thermo-vessels, constantly control the temperature of the solution. talking plain language, fuss quite a lot. But the reward for such efforts is worthwhile - the crystal will turn out to be as clean and regular as possible.

The second way is much easier. You have placed the seed in a hot solution and you can forget about it for a while, leaving the crystallization process to chance. With this method, the growing crystal may not be an ideal shape, but the growth process will be faster.

I chose the second way. Finally, after going through more easy way and with some experience, I can always do more difficult option experiment. In addition, you need to keep in mind that the quick version of the experience does not mean at all that it can be done in a couple of hours. Even with an accelerated experience, the crystal will grow for several days. In the case of a long-term option, the experiment can stretch for 1-2 months.

But in both cases it is necessary to monitor the growth of the crystal. Once again, you don’t need to take out the crystal and touch it - this may affect its shape. If side crystals begin to form on a crystal or thread, they must be carefully removed so that they also do not spoil the shape of the main crystal.

And one moment. If you lowered the seed into the solution, but it did not increase, but quite the opposite, it dissolves, then this means that you have prepared an unsaturated solution. The procedure for preparing the solution will have to be repeated.

So we continue to monitor the growth of the crystal. If you have any questions, you can contact me in the comments or through the form.

Day 5

During the day, the crystal grew significantly. In the photo, the crystal is compared with a match and a crystal - an understudy of the seed, which I left yesterday just in case.

However, as you can see, the shape of the crystal is not ideal, there are many defects. This is the result of the rapid growth of the crystal. But I still like it 🙂

I updated the solution as I did before, and lowered the crystal back into it. Since the crystal size increased significantly compared to the previous day, an adjustment in the height of the seed suspension was required. The experiment continues.

Day 6

Crystal has grown. Again updated the copper sulphate solution.

Day 7

The crystal barely fits into my glass! Do not forget to clean the thread from growing small crystals.

Day 8

Day 9

Well, here comes, I think, the last day of the experiment. The latter is not because the crystal will not be able to grow further, but because it has become too crowded in my laboratory glassware. We take out the crystal, cut the thread to the very root and blot it with napkins. We are one step away from admiring our work of art. The fact is that if you leave the crystal as it is, it will collapse pretty soon. To prevent this from happening, it must be "dressed" in a protective shell. The best option is to cover it with clear varnish. You can also place it in a hermetically sealed container, for example, in a jar. But it seems to me that the best option— is to cover it with varnish. This will give it additional brilliance, and it will be possible to observe it, as they say, live, and not through glass.

And now you can take a good look at the crystal. Of course, his form was not perfect. But I deliberately chose the fast way of crystal growth instead of the qualitative one. In any case, I was pleased with the result. In nine days, the crystal grew more than seven centimeters in length - a pretty good result!

I even wanted to give it a name. Names are given to large and unique gemstones. For example, how the famous diamond was given the name "Count Orlov". My crystal, of course, is far from a diamond, but it is dear to me in its own way 🙂 Therefore, not without a share of humor, I decided to call the resulting seven-centimeter pebble the Kid.

Good luck with your experiments!

An unusual experiment on growing crystals from salt can be done with children. This process is completely safe, as only salt and water is used and no additional reagents are required. Making such a craft with your own hands is quite simple, but you need to consider a few rules.

How to grow a crystal from salt - preparing the tool and material

Before you start making crafts, prepare necessary tools and determine the location for the container. The maturation process of the product will take some time, while the dishes cannot be moved and tilted.

• The main component for the formation of a crystal is salt. To get a smooth and transparent surface on the craft, use sea salt. It does not have impurities and small debris, like table salt.
• Crystal formation will occur in water. It should also be well cleaned of impurities. It is best to pour distilled water or boil the liquid and filter.
• The utensils for the experiment should not be metal. Since it can oxidize due to the action of saline. The volume of the growing dish does not matter and is only limited by the size of the desired crystal.
• Keep the container free of debris and debris. They will prevent the growth of salt on the main crystal. Therefore, before the experiment, the dishes should be thoroughly washed and dried.
• As a base, you can use a thread, fluffy wire, dried twigs or a large piece of salt.
• In addition, you will need: a wooden spoon for stirring, a piece of gauze or a bandage, paper towels, colorless nail polish, a saucepan and a pencil.

How to grow a salt crystal with many facets

The initial stage of the experiment involves boiling the liquid. Therefore, help the children warm the liquid so that they do not burn themselves.

• Prepare 120 ml. purified or distilled water. Pour it into a saucepan, put on the stove and bring to a boil.

• Decide on the type of salt to form the crystal. So with the help of ordinary table salt, the craft is formed within a few days, sea ​​salt forms a crystal in 1-2 days, and with iodized salt you have to wait a very long time for the product to grow.

• Prepare a saturated salt solution. You can understand its readiness by grains that could not dissolve in water. To do this, add salt to warm water and stir the solution thoroughly. First, add half a glass of salt. If the water is clear without grains, then add another quarter cup.

• Pour the solution into a dry and clean container. Make sure that the sediment stays in the pot, otherwise it will fall to the bottom of the jar, and will reduce the growth of the main crystal.

• At this stage, a dye can be added to change the color of the crystal. But do not add too much of it, as in large volumes the tool will make the craft brittle.

• Prepare the thread for the warp. It is desirable that it be thick with a rough surface. Tie it to a pencil or a long skewer. Their size should be larger than the diameter of the container for growing a crystal and with edges for stability.

• Measure the desired length of thread and cut it. Do not let it touch the bottom of the container.

• Position the pencil on top of the container. Make sure that the thread does not stick to the walls of the jar.

• Place the brine container on a flat surface. If you want to grow a crystal with large branches, then keep the liquid with the thread in a warm place. To form a crystal with smooth surfaces, put the container in the cold.

• Now you just have to watch the growth of the crystal.

How to grow one big crystal from salt

To get a large crystal with smooth edges after the experiment, it is necessary to use a slightly different technology.

• Prepare a concentrated salt solution as in the previous paragraph. Pour it into a container. But for this method growing diy choose a flat and wide container. So a large crystal will not be able to connect with the rest, smaller parts.

• Leave the container with the solution for 2 days for the formation of small crystals. Then pour out the water and choose the most suitable piece for growing.

• Tie a small crystal to the fishing line. AT this case it is necessary to use a smooth thread or thin wire (fishing line) so that salt grains cannot be fixed on it.

• Prepare a saturated salt solution again. But this time, do not bring the water to a boil, but only warm it to room temperature.

• Lower the crystal on the fishing line into the prepared container and pour the saline solution in a thin stream. Secure the fishing line to the surface of the container with a pencil. In this case, the crystal should be located in the center of the container.

• Growing a crystal in this way will take much longer than the previous option. Therefore, every two weeks, prepare a new salt solution and be sure to filter it before pouring it into the container.
• When the crystals have grown to the desired size, remove them from the liquid, dry them and be sure to cover them with a thick layer of colorless nail polish. It will not allow water to evaporate, which will make the craft more durable for a long period.

It is very easy and safe to conduct an experiment on growing a crystal from salt at home. But to obtain the desired effect, strictly follow the rules specified in the article and do not forget about the finishing of the product.

Today we will learn with you how to grow crystals at home. In general, this is not so difficult to do as it might seem at first glance. Especially in modern world. Literally 10-15 years ago, not every child could grow a crystal at home. But now everyone has this opportunity. This entertaining activity, as a rule, parents do together with their children "from the cradle". After all, crystallization is a very beautiful and interesting process. He likes kids. And for schoolchildren, this phenomenon helps to explain chemical phenomena. But how to grow crystals at home? Let's try to understand this difficult issue with you.

What are crystals

To begin with, it is worth understanding what we will generally be dealing with. That is, any person should know what exactly he wants to grow. Crystallization is a very beautiful phenomenon. But what is a crystal?

This object originally meant frozen water, or ice in a simple way. Now it is a solid body in which the constituents (atoms) are arranged according to a certain pattern, but in a chaotic order. And in the course of such an action, they form the so-called crystal lattice.

And speaking in simple terms, it is just a solid and beautiful stone of some three-dimensional shape, which under a microscope has a special structure. That is, the crystal lattice. Often, particles that shimmer and sparkle in the sun are considered crystals. A precipitate formed during the evaporation of a substance. And now we will try to understand how to grow crystals at home. It's not that hard. The main thing is proper preparation to the process.

Security measures

Regardless of which crystallization material we will use, there are certain rules of conduct. They must be followed without fail. Especially if copper sulfate is used as a crystallization material. Let's quickly find out what can and cannot be done if you want to figure out how to grow a crystal at home.

Let's start with the fact that we need dishes. And it will not be possible to use it for domestic needs, or rather, for food purposes. Even after disinfection. You can simply get poisoned. In principle, if we are talking about sugar or the most common salt, then you can really rinse the dishes thoroughly after use, and then use them for any purpose. The main thing is not to touch these containers in cases where copper sulphate or something else is used as the material.

Eating during the process is not allowed. This may cause poisoning. And then the game with crystallization will turn into a huge problem. It is better to wait until the action is completed if potentially hazardous substances are used.

It is forbidden to work with substances about which you do not have knowledge. After all, with some materials you will have to follow special rules of conduct. Otherwise, you risk delivering a lot of problems to yourself and your body.

How to grow crystals at home? To do this, you will have to find and allocate a special place for this lesson. One where no one will bother you. And where very small children and pets will not get to the reagents, as well as directly to the crystals. Especially in cases with copper sulfate and any other chemicals. The exceptions are sugar and salt.

Action Basics

How to grow a crystal at home? For this, to be honest, it is important to know the working methodology and the crystallization process. What are these actions based on? In general, if you want to make a homemade crystal, you will have to prepare for the fact that you will need to prepare a special concentrated solution.

It is on this that home "crystal growing" is based. That is, in order to grow such a "thing" at home, in any case, you will need a special concentrated solution with the material of your choice. Sometimes dyes can be added to it in order to get a colored crystal. It's very beautiful and interesting.

In principle, it is already more or less clear how to grow a crystal at home from salt or sugar, for example. We need a concentrated solution. And in fact, a place that will be overgrown with crystals. Let's find out a few options for the development of events that will help crystallize extremely quickly and easily at home.

Evaporation

Perhaps, let's start with you with the simplest and least popular scenario. If you want to grow a crystal at home, then you will need water, as well as a reagent. For example, salt. Plain, culinary. The sea may also be suitable. In other words, any salt for food production.

What needs to be done now? First, warm up the liquid a little. Now add salt to the water. Make sure your solution is concentrated. That is, approximately 2-3 tablespoons of salt are needed for a glass of water. Stir the "brew" until completely dissolved. Now it remains only to leave the concentrated salt water in a warm place for a while. And in a ventilated space. As soon as all the water evaporates, you have a precipitate - salt crystals.

If you want to quickly see the effect, you can start to evaporate the water - boil it. Most importantly, do this process with care. But it's better to just be patient. So we became aware of how to grow a crystal at home from salt. By the way, from sugar too. This method is not very good. After all, it simply forms a precipitate as crystals. For this reason, there are several other approaches to solving our problem.

Ready set

How to grow a crystal at home? In truth, there are several ways to do this. One, not the most popular, we have already studied. Now let's move on to more interesting methods. Especially among the smallest children.

In order to figure out how to grow a crystal from sugar, salt or any other substance quickly and without problems, just go to any toy store and buy a special game set called "Crystallization" there. Or something like that.

In the box you will find everything you need to carry out the process - and a special container into which the liquid is poured, and the reagent, and dyes (if needed), and even special forms on which the crystals will be placed. For example, a tree or a flower. Very interesting are the options on which different dyes are applied directly on the molds. That is, as it "grows", you can see multi-colored crystals in various areas of the craft.

What do we have to do? The same as last time - mix water with the reagent, and then lower the mold into it and put it in a warm place. How to grow sugar crystals at home (or salt crystals) using a playset? The most popular option for the development of events is not to directly lower the template into concentrated water, but to pour it over the molds. That is, you will need to collect, for example, a stable Christmas tree template, put it in a special deep form (it is attached) - in something like a flower pot, and then pour a concentrated solution into it and leave everything like this. For a while, of course. Approximately for a day, maximum - for two.

After the specified period of time has passed, look at your craft. It will be covered with various crystals of sugar or salt. Just be careful - such formations break and fall off very easily. After all, they will be small and fragile. Now we know how to grow a crystal at home from sugar or salt, and even describing some form. But there are other ways that will help us in solving this problem. Let's get to know them.

From salt

For example, there is another very interesting approach to solving the problem. How to grow crystals at home from salt? To do this, we need salt (table salt, including pieces), water and special strings. Better take a twine. We will have a crystal on it. Let us now get down to business with you as quickly as possible.

Heat up the water. It is not necessary to bring to a boil. Now start adding salt to it and stir. Continue the procedure until you get a concentrated solution. That is, until the salt begins to settle at the bottom of the dish. During this period, it is best to maintain a warm water temperature without boiling. When you achieve the desired result, simply pour the liquid into another form. Make sure you don't have any sediment at the bottom.

Next, you need to take a string or thread and tie a piece of table salt to one end of it. So that he does not fall and does not slip out. Ready? The second end of the thread should be hung over a glass of concentrated salt water, and then a piece of salt should be lowered into it so that it does not touch the bottom and walls of the dish. It remains just to wait a while. Of course, this process will proceed slowly - it will take about 2-3 days to form a normal crystal. Moreover, the thread that you hung up will also begin to be covered with small crystals in a chaotic manner, forming a beautiful pattern.

That's all the problems are solved. Now we already know how to grow a crystal at home from sugar or table / sea salt. As you can see, nothing difficult. The main thing is to be able to wait. True, this is not all the options for the development of events. Now we will try to grow sugar crystals again with you, and we will also try to figure out how to grow a crystal from vitriol.

sugar dream

Well, in the case of salt, we can have a special material prepared that will help crystallize. In our example, this is a large piece of table salt. But with sugar, such a "number" will not work. We can't chip off a piece of it like salt. Therefore, the process of sugar crystallization will be slightly different. How to grow sugar crystal at home? Let's figure this out.

To begin with, there are two options for the development of events. The first one is when we will force a ready-made strong crystal to grow, the second one - when some material begins to be covered by these "objects". Let's start with a familiar approach.

How to grow a crystal at home? Photos of this process are now very popular. And the results of cultivation, too. But how is this procedure carried out using sugar? First, lightly (this is important) heat the water, and then mix it with sugar until a concentrated solution is obtained. Now, like last time, pour the "brew" into another container with sediment filtering. Ready? Then tie some kind of crystal (solid, but not salt) on a thread or wire. For example, sodium sulfate. Dip it in sugar water and then just wait for a while. Your crystal will grow and become composed of sugar.

In the second case, you can do without sulfate. That is, simply lower the thread or wire (preferably twine or floss) into the solution and hang it in that position. Leave everything as it is for a few days, and then look at the result. Don't be afraid to lower the rope deep. Now we know how to grow a crystal from sugar at home. Let's meet another pretty interesting way which we have not yet passed.

vitriol

Of course, now is the time to think about how to grow a crystal at home from blue vitriol. This material is also salt. Only chemically active. And so the growing procedure will change a bit. But not much.

What will we need? For starters, the reagent itself. That is copper sulphate. Both in a "loose" form and a crystal. Be prepared for it to be of blue color. What luck - a natural colored crystal without the use of dyes! Next - prepare the thread, and then tie a piece of vitriol to one end. Tie the other on some kind of stick that will play the role of a holder. It seems that the process is not much different from working with salt or sugar. But that's just for now. The most interesting is ahead.

What are we talking about? Of course, about water. When working with copper sulphate, you will only have to use distilled water. That is, purified from precipitation, impurities and salts. Only in this case can we hope for the success of the operation. Mix the remaining vitriol with warm distilled water, filter it, and then dip the crystal with the thread into the liquid mold. Wait a while. That's all. Now we know how to grow a crystal in 1 day at home.

True, there are not only rules of conduct regarding the procedure, but also a few tips. They will help you achieve maximum good result. What are we talking about?

For example, do not remove the crystal from the solution unnecessarily. Otherwise, the crystallization process will be interrupted. And, of course, the experience will fail. In order to look at your work, you can use transparent containers - through them you will observe how the crystal grows.

Make sure that no debris or any impurities get into the concentrated solution. If there are, try to carefully remove them. Did not work out? Then leave everything as it is. Just do not "disturb" a suspended crystal or a rope lowered into the solution. This will also harm the process.

For best results, always use distilled water. It has already been cleaned of impurities and salts. And this means that your solution will turn out to be as concentrated and of high quality as possible.

Conclusion

Today we have learned how to grow crystals at home. As you can see, this process is not as difficult as it might seem at the very beginning. The exercise of caution during the procedure is an important element of it. Otherwise, the crystal will not be able to grow.

If you are just getting acquainted with this process, then start with ready-made crystallization game sets. In it you can find a lot of useful things that can teach you how to grow original crystals at home without any difficulty. The main thing is to fantasize and follow the safety rules during the experience. Now you know how to grow a crystal at home from salt, vitriol and other materials.

Do you want to surprise your child and involve him in the world of science? Do a crystal growing experiment at home. These are solid bodies with a symmetrical structure. They are used for decor, games, and sweet ones are even eaten. We invite you to find out how and from what you can grow a crystal.

Learn how to grow a crystal at home.

How to grow a crystal from sugar

Sugar crystals are grown for one week. They are added to tea, served as a sweet snack and decorated with desserts. Prepare the crystals on a wooden stick.

You will need:

• sugar - 5 glasses;
• water - 2 glasses;
• wooden sticks;
• paper;
• glasses or jars.

If you want the crystals to be colored, use food coloring.

From 50 ml of water and 2 tbsp. l. boil sugar syrup. Sprinkle sugar on a flat surface. wooden sticks dip in syrup and then roll in sugar. Leave overnight to dry.

Boil the rest of the water and gradually add the sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Boil the syrup and leave on the stove for 10-15 minutes. Make holes in the paper. Pour hot syrup into clear glasses or jars. Stick the sticks into the paper and immerse in the solution so that it covers the glass and holds the blanks. After 7 days the crystals will grow.

How to grow a crystal at home from table salt

Use edible salt for growing. The time of the chemical process is 1–1.5 weeks.

You will need:

• water - 500 ml;
• salt - 4-5 tbsp. l.;
• glasses - 2 pcs;
• rope;
• filter;
• holder.

As a holder, use a pencil, clothespins or cardboard.

AT hot water add salt and stir. Filter undissolved crystals through gauze. Select a large crystal of salt (seed). Tie it with the edge of a rope or fishing line and place it in a saline solution. Attach the second end of the thread to the holder. Make sure that the seed does not touch the bottom and walls of the glass. Leave the solution in a warm place.

This recipe is suitable for growing copper sulfate crystals. The substance is sold in stores for summer residents. Pour vitriol with water up to 80 degrees, otherwise it will not dissolve. You will find the blank in a bag with the substance. Or cook it yourself. Leave the solution to cool, and after 30-60 minutes formations will appear at the bottom. Also tie the seed with a thread and lower it into the solution for 1-2 weeks.

Crystals have attracted man since ancient times. Almost all precious jewelry stones, with a few exceptions, are minerals with a clear crystal lattice. Modern technologies enable the cultivation of artificial gems, which outwardly do not differ from the real ones, have the same structure. Surprisingly, not only minerals, but ordinary grains of salt or sugar are also crystals that can grow. How to make salt crystals yourself? Let's talk about this in more detail.

First you need to choose the substance that you want to form into a crystal. Experiments at home have shown that the easiest way is to use ordinary table salt. This method has an undeniable advantage - all the necessary components are literally at hand, without requiring the purchase or search for special components. Read the instructions carefully before starting the experiment. For " little miracle» different salts are suitable:

• marine;
• cooking;
• copper or iron sulfate;
• potassium chloride;
• potassium alum;
• potassium permanganate.

Exercise extreme caution when handling the substances used. You must immediately decide what result you want to get - one large single crystal or several smaller. To do this, you will have to use different technologies. Note that the growth of single crystals is simpler in execution. Important: the container in which our beautiful stone grows is unacceptable to shake and move, otherwise it will turn out to be of irregular shape. It is forbidden:

• without reason to remove the crystal from the vessel;
• use food coloring to add color;
• paint the surface of the finished "product" with paint.

How to grow a salt crystal at home

So you've decided to learn how to make a salt crystal. For a little preliminary practice, a ready-made crystal growing kit, which is sold in children's stores, is suitable. You will be able to carry out this process with your child. He will definitely enjoy the job. There is an express way to get what you are looking for in 1 day, but then you will get not one large, but several small crystals fused. If you are ready for the expectation and impressive results, we will tell you how to grow a crystal from table salt.

Necessary materials and tools

For the intended experience, it is necessary to prepare a set of required materials, which should contain:

• two transparent containers (so that we can observe the growth);
• the substance that we will use for growing (in our case, this is table salt);
• stick or tablespoon;
• funnel;
• filter paper;
• a thread, and better, if any, a thin copper wire;
• lots of time and patience.

Step-by-step instruction

All necessary materials prepared, it's time to start making a grain of salt with a magic stone. What is the basic principle of how a small crystal becomes large? A small grain is added to a saturated solution of a substance, and the molecules begin to stick to it. The crystal is growing. In order for the molecules to stick, you need to cool the liquid or evaporate it. The slow cooling method achieves a faster result. We bring to your attention instructions on how to make crystals from table salt:

1. In a glass container (it is better not to use a plastic one), we prepare a saturated saline solution. Add salt to hot water, mix thoroughly (36-38 grams of salt is required per 100 grams of water heated to a temperature of 80 °).
2. The finished solution must be allowed to cool. An hour after that, it must be filtered - using a funnel with cotton wool or special filter paper.
3. The composition that has stood for several hours is filtered again.
4. We tie a larger grain of salt to a copper wire or thread and lower it inside the container. It should be suspended, not touching the bottom. The jar should be covered with paper to avoid dust.
5. After a day or two, the bottom, walls, and the wire itself are overgrown with many small crystals. We take the second vessel, carefully move our embryo there and pour the liquid.
6. The remaining crystals are again filled with water, and then all the time we maintain the liquid level in the jar with a growing crystal. Approximately once a week, the solution must be filtered from the precipitated crystals.
7. After a few days, growth will become clearly noticeable. Continue growing as long as you want until you get the desired result. Then carefully remove the miracle stone, rinse gently and cover with colorless nail polish to give strength.