Science Smarts: Putting a spin on crystal making

By Patty Rooks on December 28, 2024.

Once Christmas is over, I find myself looking for some fun and exciting science activities to keep those small hands busy. As I was playing around, I discovered a new spin on one of my favourite Holiday time activities – making crystals. Let’s get started!

*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

– Clear plastic lids

– Epsom salt

– Hot water

– Measuring cups

– Measuring spoons

– Glass baking pan

– String scissors

– Sunny location to put the baking pan

Procedure

1. Measure one cup (250 mL) of Epsom salts and pour into the baking dish.

2. Add one cup (250 mL) of HOT water. Stir gently to combine.

3. Place as many of the clear plastic lids on this mixture.

4. Make sure you have a warm sunny location to place this is for a couple of days.

Make observations each and every day.

5. Do you notice anything?

6. After a couple of days, your new suncatchers will be ready to hand up.

What is going on?

This experiment started out with a saturated solution of water and Epsom salts. This means that you could not dissolve any more of the Epsom salts in the water.

As this saturated solution begins to cool, the spaces between the molecules decreases and the salt slowly begins to be pushed out as a solid and the beginning of the crystal formation.

Over time, you should have noticed that as the water from the mixture in the baking pan began to evaporate that beautiful crystals began to adhere to the surface of the plastic lid.

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 11th Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403-527-5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

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