Praxis: The season for loving science

By Patty Rooks on February 1, 2020.

praxis@praxismh.ca@PraxisMedHat

It is hard to believe that January is finished! I was in the store the other day and it reminded me that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. This holiday can get a bit expensive with giving all of your loved one’s a little something to show them all you care for them. Of course, this made me sit back and think how we could incorporate a little science into saving us money. Let’s get started.

*Remember to ask an adult before you do this experiment.

Materials

– Alum (find it in the spice section of the grocery store)

– water

– measuring cups

– measuring spoons

– heat proof cup (preferably clear)

– popsicle stick or pencil

– string

– red, pink, purple pipe cleaners

– kettle

Procedure

1. Have an adult help you fill the kettle in and get it boiling.

2. Fold your pipe cleaner into a special Valentine Shape.

3. Tie one end of the sting to the pipe cleaner and the other end of the string to the popsicle stick or pencil.

4. Test the length of your string out. Place the pencil or popsicle stick on the edge of the cup and wind the string up so that the Valentine Day shape just sits in the cup, NOT touching the bottom.

5. Measure 45 mL (three tablespoon) of Alum and put it into the cup.

6. Once the kettle boils, measure 175 mL (3/4 cup) of water and pour it into the cup.

7. Carefully stir well. You may notice that not all of the Alum dissolves. This is OK.

8. Place the pipe cleaner in the solution.

9. Check your crystals every day. If you have a clear cup, you will easily be able to observe what is going on. DO NOT disturb your crystals. Be patient, this can take several days to happen, that is why we are making it early.

What is going on?

In this experiment, you made a supersaturated solution by adding a solute (alum) to the hot solvent (water). You may have noticed that not all of the alum dissolved. Essentially, there was no more room for the alum crystals to dissolve in the water molecules. All of the space was gone. Crystals will grow from a supersaturated solution because there is actually too much of the solute or in this case alum in the solution. The extra alum will take the form of crystals. As the solution begins to cool down and evaporate, crystals will begin to form on your awesome Valentine’s Day shapes.

Praxis has a great seasonal kit that has all of the materials to make your own crystals. Call or email me and book it for your classroom today!

Patty Rooks, Senior Scientific Consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community”. Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, http://www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook. Address: #12 826 11 Street S. E., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403.527.5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

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