home › Sale of apartments › Grow a crystal. How to grow crystals. A set of chemical experiments “Secrets of crystals. Growing crystals is an interesting and exciting activity not only for children, but also for adults.

Grow a crystal. How to grow crystals. A set of chemical experiments “Secrets of crystals. Growing crystals is an interesting and exciting activity not only for children, but also for adults.

natural rock crystals

Their education requires 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 SiO 2 silica.

natural sulfur crystals

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

On the shores of salt lakes and seas one 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 it 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 put a container of water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Then remove the container from the stove and dissolve the usual salt from the pack in it. While constantly stirring the solution, add salt until you notice that it no longer dissolves.

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

You can grow a large crystal, or several large cubic crystals. To do this, put a woolen thread into the container in which you dissolved the salt. When the solution cools, it will be covered with salt cubes. The slower the solution cools, the more regular the crystals will be. After a while, the growth will stop.

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

For the growth of the right crystals, rest is needed. You can not shake or move the table or shelf on which there is a container with growing crystals.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SUGAR

You can grow sugar crystals just like you can grow salt crystals. Sugar crystals can also be grown on wooden sticks and can be a nice 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 the complete instruction, how to grow sugar crystals on sticks.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM COPPER sulphate

Copper sulfate is sold in shops for gardeners, from it, and from slaked lime, they prepare "Bordeaux liquid" to protect plants from fungi and various diseases.

In order to grow a crystal of copper sulphate (Cu SO 4 * 5H 2 O) of the correct shape, powdered copper sulphate should be dissolved in water at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. At a higher temperature, the solubility of copper sulfate decreases. Dissolve the powder until the dissolution stops. At the end of the wire or woolen thread we tie a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulphate. Where to get it? You can look in the same package from which you poured the vitriol into the water, a larger crystal. If this is not found, 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 piece of wire or thread. Filter the solution. Then lower the prepared seed (crystal on a thread) into it. Never immerse the seed in a hot solution! The seed may simply dissolve. A large crystal of copper sulphate grows for several weeks. A crystal grown to the desired size must be varnished, since the moisture contained in the air will eventually melt and destroy it.

They are grown in a similar way, a detailed article about this can be read by clicking on the link in this proposal.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM POTASSIUM ALUMS

grown crystals of potassium alum

Potassium alum (KAI 2 * 12H 2 O - mineral alunite ) sold in pharmacies in powder form. This is a good remedy that "dries out 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 a pharmacy

From these crystals, you need to select a few pieces of the correct shape and place them in another container. Then they are poured 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 must be transferred to a new glass, and the solution filtered and the growing crystals filled with them again. Alum crystals, grown to the desired size, should be varnished so that they do not melt from the moisture of the air and do not lose their shape.

Solutions for growing crystals should preferably be prepared with distilled water.

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

The 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 Grow Kits

crystal growing kit

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

Strange, but the instructions that are in the box shown in the photo do not indicate which one Chemical substance used to grow crystals and what kind of dye is used. Other than that, it's pretty detailed.

If you are fond of chemistry or you have a restless child at home who wants to do something interesting, then the technology of growing a crystal is simply created for you. Read about how to grow a crystal at home from salt in our article with a photo!

Set of ingredients

Growing is a long process, but as a result you will get an amazing natural crystal that will take its rightful place on the shelf of your crafts.

For cultivation, we need the following ingredients:

edible salt
a lot of patience

To make a handsome crystal, use purified water, because it does not contain chlorine and other harmful impurities.

Growing a crystal

Answering the question of how to grow a crystal at home from salt, it is worth saying that the work begins with the preparation of a saline solution:

take a glass of water and pour it into a small container
put the poured water into a larger container and add water with a temperature of 50-60 C.

To get a liquid of the required temperature, mix half a glass of boiling water with a glass of water at room temperature.

Now pour 2-3 tbsp. l. salt in a small container, stir and leave for 5 minutes so that the salt particles dissolve in the water. Dissolution will occur by heating the water in a small container.
Next, you need to add 1-2 tbsp to a small container every 5 minutes. l. salt until the sodium chloride no longer dissolves.

After 2-3 additions, sodium chloride will no longer dissolve in water. It is time to pour the resulting concentrated saline solution into a small container. During transfusion, make sure that undissolved crystals do not penetrate into the new vessel.

Choosing the main crystal

After preparing the saline solution, select a large crystal from the bag of ordinary salt, and then lower it to the bottom of the container with concentrated liquid. All that remains is to send the future crystal to the windowsill and observe its growth, which can last several weeks.

If you want to accelerate the growth of the crystal, then after 3-4 days you can carefully remove it from the container, and then prepare a new solution. The procedure will significantly accelerate the growth of the crystal, because it will receive a new material to increase the volume. But such actions can destroy the crystal, so it is better to simply add a little salt solution every 2-3 days as the liquid evaporates.

How to grow a crystal from sodium chloride?

When answering the question of how to grow a crystal at home from salt, it is worth talking about a number of factors that affect the final shape of a salt product:

If you lower a string to the bottom of a jar with a crystal, then the crystal will form around this impromptu support. To create a support in the middle of the pencil, tie a string and dip it into the solution. Everything, particles of salt will find support on their own.
If the salt solution is cooled quickly, the crystal will form sooner, but its shape will be ugly. With gradual cooling of the liquid, the formation of the crystal will be longer, and the shape will be perfect.

Do not shake the jar with the crystal, so as not to disturb its formation.
Do not add dyes to the saline liquid, because they will only slow down the formation of the crystal.
After making the crystal, you can use it to decorate the interior, because salt takes away odors, harmful fumes and radiation from electrical appliances!

Almost everyone can. The main thing is to have the necessary knowledge for the correct conduct of the experiment. A similar practice is carried out in some schools in chemistry lessons. Of course there are certain rules which should not be neglected:

Utensils used for growing must not be used for eating.

You need to use only those reagents that you know.

Do not eat or drink while growing.

Materials and resources for the experiment should be stored in an airtight dry place. It is strictly forbidden to give them to children or animals.

The experiment is carried out in a separate indoors wearing gloves and protective clothing.

If the solution comes into contact with the skin, the area should be washed with water. In case of eye contact, seek medical attention immediately.

Keep order in the workplace.

As you understand, all these rules are necessary for growing a crystal at home to be successful, without undesirable consequences.

How to grow a crystal at home

For cooking, you will need a glass container and a substance from which the crystal will sprout. For those who conduct such experiments for the first time, it is recommended to use salt or copper sulfate. The first one can be purchased at any grocery store, and the last one - where fertilizers for summer cottages and gardens are sold. Also, both can be purchased at chemical reagent stores.

The experiment itself is carried out as follows:

Substance is placed in hot water in small portions. The reagent is stirred until a concentrated solution is obtained. Its main feature is that the substance will cease to dissolve.

The resulting solution is cooled and after half an hour filtered with a funnel and a piece of cotton wool. The procedure is repeated after a day.

A seed (a small crystal) is placed in the solution. 3 days later, small crystals form in the container, which will prevent the growth of the main one. To get rid of them, the liquid is filtered and poured into another container. The main crystal is also placed there.

Gradually, the liquid in the container evaporates, and the seed begins to grow. If it just lay at the bottom, the direction of growth will be limited from below. If at the very beginning the crystal is brought on a copper wire, only the walls of the vessel will be a limitation. When all the liquid has evaporated, there remains in the container

Growing a real crystal is quite simple, interesting and informative. This article talks about how to do it at home.

Crystals are formed from any substances whose atoms and molecules are grouped into an ordered structure. They do not require a lab or special equipment to grow them. The simplest reagents that are always at hand will do.

Growing a crystal is one of the easiest and safest chemistry experiments available at home. Even a child of primary school age can conduct it under the supervision of adults.

The reward for your efforts will be an item of extraordinary beauty that you create with your own hands.

Types of crystals

A monocrystal is a solid large crystal, for example, an artificial stone. It is formed under the condition that the crystallization processes are extremely slow.
A polycrystal is formed when crystallization proceeds rapidly. In this case, many tiny crystals are formed. This is how metals behave.

Ways to grow crystals at home

One of the easiest ways to grow a crystal is to cool a saturated solution. What processes take place?

In warm water, the substance chosen for the experiment (for example, salt) dissolves completely.
The temperature of the solution is lowered: this reduces the solubility of the salt. An undissolved salt is formed, which precipitates.
The formation of a precipitate begins with the formation of small grains both in the solution itself and on the surface of the container in which it is placed.
If there are no foreign inclusions in the solution (ordinary dust particles, villi, etc.), and cooling occurs gradually, these grains-crystals coalesce into larger and regular crystals.
Rapid cooling causes the formation of many tiny irregular crystals at once, which do not connect with each other and inhibit each other's growth.

The crystal will also grow if the solvent (water) is gradually removed from the saturated solution. How to do this and what will happen in the vessel?

Dishes with a saturated solution must be kept at a constant temperature for a long time.
The ingress of litter and dust should be excluded, as well as slowing down the evaporation of water (for this, it is enough to cover the container with paper).
You can grow a crystal on some kind of suspension in the middle of the container (then it will acquire the correct shape), or at the bottom of the container.
If the crystal grows at the bottom, it must be rotated periodically to achieve symmetry.
In place of the evaporated water, a solution of the same consistency should be added as it was at the beginning of the experiment.

The basic principle in this case remains the same: the slower the processes that affect crystallization go, the more beautiful, larger and more correct the crystals will turn out. If the original crystal, which served as the basis for growth, had an irregular shape, it will fill in the missing parts during growth and take on a configuration typical of the nature of its substance. So copper sulfate will eventually grow into a rhombus, and salts of potassium chromium alum form an octahedron.

It is believed that at home only a small crystal can grow from improvised means. This is not so: with due attention, there is every chance to grow a crystal of any size and weight at home. In fact, for this it is enough to continue the crystallization procedure until the desired result is achieved. Of course, you must immediately choose a container that is suitable in size.

Preservation of crystals

Failure to comply with storage conditions may lead to the destruction of the crystal. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the selected substance in advance in order to avoid disappointment at the end of such a long and painstaking work.

Thus, the chiseled edges of an alum crystal, under the action of ordinary dry air, will fade due to loss of moisture and crumble, forming a gray powder. The same will happen with sodium sulfate and thiosulfate, salts of manganese, zinc, nickel, Rochelle salt. The only way out is to place the crystals in sealed transparent vessels. Some recommend covering the crystals with clear varnish, but this only delays the death. And yet - varnished edges lose their original luster and look artificial.

High temperatures destroy crystals grown from copper sulphate and potassium alum. The life of such crystals can be extended by storage in a domestic refrigerator. However, even here they will last about 2 years.

Another problem of crystals of water-soluble substances is that they are destroyed by drops temperature regime due to moisture, which in a small amount is stored inside them. For this reason, specks, chips appear, the edges are washed off, and the gloss is lost.

Perhaps the most stable of the substances popular for growing crystals is table salt.

What can you grow a crystal from?

In addition to the above substances, crystals at home can be grown from sugar.

It is much more difficult, but at the same time more interesting to grow artificial stones (amethysts, quartzites, rubies, etc.). This is a rather laborious process that requires special equipment to maintain a constant temperature, pressure, humidity and other indicators important for the success of the experiment. In other words, to get an artificial stone, you need a real laboratory.

What should be the substance for home growing crystal?

Safe, non-toxic. Not all substances with a crystalline structure correspond to this requirement. For example, potassium cyanide KCN (or sodium sulfide Na2S) also forms crystals of its characteristic shape. But it is impossible to conduct experiments with him at home, because he enters into an oxidation reaction with oxygen in the composition of the air and releases toxic substances that are dangerous to humans.
Second important quality- stability. That is, the selected substance must enter into a reversible reaction with water. In addition, resistance to temperature fluctuations is important. Some organic substances can be irreversibly destroyed when exposed to hot water (hydrolysis reaction).
The cost of reagents. As you know, the first experience (or several) may not be very successful, therefore, for starters, it is better to opt for inexpensive and affordable substances.
Yes, growing crystals will require a lot of purified water - this should also be taken care of in advance.
The ability to dissolve in water. Before starting the experiment, you should find out what consumption of the selected substance for a given volume of water will be required. To grow a sugar crystal, for example, you need to dissolve at least 2 kg of sugar in 1 liter of water. So it is better to pre-graph the solubility of the starting material. To do this, subtract the mass of the same volume of the filtered solution from the mass of a glass of water after the dissolution is over and the temperature stabilizes. This will help to get an idea of how much substance for crystallization is needed for a given volume of water.

How to grow a salt crystal

The easiest way to practice on ordinary table salt. Then you will not need special chemical reagents, only salt and purified water.

Step 1. Prepare a salt crystal by tying it with a thin thread fixed in the middle of a small stick (pencil, pen).

salt crystal

Purpose: to place the crystal so that it is immersed in the solution, but not in contact with the surface of the vessel.

We tie a salt crystal to a thread and place it in a glass

Step 2. Pour warm water into a container (transparent so that you can observe the growth of the crystal) and add salt. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Then add salt and repeat. It is necessary to salt the water until the salt stops dissolving. This is noticeable by the appearance of sediment at the bottom of the vessel.

Step 3. The solution must be gradually heated by placing it in a container of a larger diameter with hot water. As a result, the precipitate will dissolve. If there is something left at the bottom, it is better to pour the solution into a clean bowl.

Step 4. Place the container with the resulting solution in a place with a stable temperature. Immerse the seed crystal on a thread into the solution. From above, the vessel with the solution must be covered with paper.

Embryo crystal on a thread is immersed in a solution

Step 5. The crystallization process has begun. Further, when the water evaporates, it will be necessary to add a solution of the same salt content to the container as it was at the beginning of the experiment. After a while, it will become noticeable that the original crystal has increased in size. You can grow it as much as you like, as long as the size of the container and patience are enough. The resulting crystal will be quite durable.

How to grow a sugar crystal

Sugar crystals can be used as table decoration or candy for kids. But they are quite expensive due to the high consumption of sugar. For 2 cups of water, you will need a total of 5 cups of granulated sugar.

sugar crystals

The process of preparing the solution is similar to how it is done for salt crystals. It is most convenient to grow sugar crystals on toothpicks or wooden skewers. For "seed" it is enough to dip the skewer in syrup and dip in sugar so that it evenly adheres to the surface. You need to wait for the sugar to stick well and dry.

To form colored crystals, it is worth adding food coloring to the syrup (the best option is juices).

It will take 1 week to grow a sugar crystal from the specified amount of ingredients.

Sugar crystals on sticks (Video)

This video shows how to grow edible sugar crystals that are not only beautiful to look at, but also very tasty.

How to grow a copper sulfate crystal

Salt crystals are transparent white, and copper sulfate gives a rich blue tint.

Copper sulfate crystal

It is no more difficult to grow such a crystal than a hydrochloric one: you will need a saturated solution and a seed crystal on a thread.

Copper sulphate crystal suspended on a string

We lower the seed into a saturated solution of copper sulphate on a thread

The solution in a transparent container must be placed in a shaded place with a stable temperature, hang the crystal as in the case of salt, and wait, periodically adding the solution instead of the evaporated one.

42 day experiment

Do not remove the crystal from the working solution until the procedure for its formation is completed!

Safety

Food utensils cannot be used to grow crystals (an exception is experiments with salt and sugar). Food should not be left nearby: firstly, because the reagents are toxic, and secondly, because of litter and crumbs, which, if they get into the solution, will ruin the experiment.

When handling chemical reagents, absolutely all the rules indicated on the packaging should be observed. After completing work, wash your hands.

Growing a crystal at home is quite simple, interesting and informative. First, it is better to practice on the available substances. If something goes wrong, you need to check that all the conditions necessary for the formation of a crystal are met. Having mastered the simplest crystals, you can start working with other reagents. It never gets boring, because different substances give crystals of different shapes and colors. In addition, no two crystals are exactly the same, and their configuration and size can be adjusted at will.

Growing crystals at home is a very long, laborious and painstaking process, but it is very exciting and definitely worth the time spent. This experience is very popular with children, and most of the methods below are completely safe. So, consider the main ways to grow crystals at home.

How to grow a crystal from sugar at home

It is best to start your experiments on growing crystals at home with the most interesting and enjoyable ones. The easiest way to grow a crystal is from sugar, and if you do this experiment with children, they will be able to taste the fruits of their creativity at the end of the process.

In order to grow a crystal from sugar, we will need:

2 glasses of water;
5 glasses of granulated sugar;
wooden skewers;
paper;
small saucepan;
several clear glasses.

The process of making a crystal begins with the manufacture of sugar syrup. To do this, take 1/4 cup of water and two tablespoons of sugar. Mix, bring on fire until syrup is obtained. Dip a wooden skewer into the syrup and sprinkle with a little sugar. The more evenly the skewer is sprinkled, the more ideal and beautiful the crystal will come out. In a similar way, we make the required number of blanks and leave them to dry completely, for example, overnight.

Some time has passed, our skewers have dried out and now we can move on to the next part of the experience. Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan and pour 2.5 cups of sugar. On low heat, stirring constantly, turn our mixture into a sugar syrup. Stirring must be carried out carefully, until the sugar is completely dissolved! Add the remaining 2.5 cups of sugar and also, until completely dissolved, cook the syrup. After that, leave the syrup to cool slightly, this will take approximately 15-20 minutes. This time we continue to prepare blanks from skewers, the basis for our future crystal. We cut paper circles a little larger than the diameter of our glasses and pierce the resulting circles with chopsticks. The main thing is that the paper is firmly fixed on the skewer. The paper will act as the holder and lid for the glass.

Pour the cooled, but still hot syrup into glasses. At this stage, a little food coloring can be added to the syrup, then the crystal will eventually turn out to be colored. We lower our blank (a stick with a circle of paper) into the glass and leave it alone until the crystal ripens. It is important not to touch the walls and bottom! Well, we do the same with all the remaining blanks.

It will take about a week to grow a crystal. This is a very interesting and exciting process that children really like. Every day the crystal grows and takes on its individual shape. Some crystals grow faster, some slower, but the bulk matures in exactly 7 days. The resulting sugar crystal is very good to use with the whole family at a home tea party or just nibble in moments of blues! So, entertaining chemistry is not only interesting, but also tasty;).

How to grow a crystal from salt at home

Growing a crystal from salt at home is a fairly simple process, but it requires patience and care. However, the result of the experiment exceeds all expectations. We will need:

pure water;
pot;
2 glass jars;
salt;
strong thread.

We heat water in a saucepan, we heat it very much, and do not bring it to a boil, the experiment will not work in boiling water. After heating the water, we gradually begin to pour salt into it, stirring constantly until the portion of salt is completely dissolved. Then add more salt, stir until dissolved. And so on until the salt ceases to dissolve. Pour the resulting saturated saline solution into a jar and let it stand well for a day. The next day we will see a lot of small crystals of settled salt in the jar. We choose the most beautiful and largest of them, carefully take it out and tie it to a thread. Carefully pour the solution into an empty jar, making sure that the settled crystals do not fall into a new vessel. Then we lower the crystal on a thread into a filtered saline solution and stock up on patience. After 2-3 days you will notice an increase in the crystal, this growth will continue for some time until the end of growth. After you notice that the crystal has stopped growing, you can either end the experiment if you are satisfied with the result, or prepare another saturated saline solution, as we did above, and lower our crystal there. By the way, if you often change the salt solution, then the growth of the crystal will be faster.

It is very important not to cool the solution on purpose and not to shake it, in this case crystals of an imperfect shape are obtained. Also, do not add any dyes, the crystal will not be colored, and the experiment will be ruined.

How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home

Growing crystals from copper sulphate at home is already the next level of complexity, which requires compliance with safety requirements and can only be performed by children under adult supervision.

For the experiment we need:

water, preferably distilled;
glass jar;
copper salt (copper sulfate or copper sulfate, which can be bought at a gardening store).

Before buying, be sure to consider the substance, it should be a bright blue homogeneous powder. In the presence of lumps and green blotches, it is better to refuse the purchase. It will go to summer residents on the farm, but we, novice chemists, will not.

So, the correct vitriol is purchased. Pour about 100 grams of powder into a glass jar and pour a little hot water, stirring constantly. We must get a saturated solution in which the copper salt can no longer dissolve. Filter the solution and put it in the refrigerator. The next day at the bottom we will find many crystals. We select a couple of the largest and most beautiful and place them in a container with a filtered solution. Before that, we act with crystals in the same way as in the previous experiment with table salt, namely, we fix it on a thread and lower it into a jar. We cover the vessel with thin paper and stock up on patience. Growing a crystal from copper sulfate takes several weeks. After the formation of the crystal is completed, it must be carefully removed, rinsed with cold running water and coated with colorless nail polish.

natural rock crystals

How to grow a crystal from salt
How to grow a crystal from sugar
How to grow a copper sulfate crystal
How to grow a crystal from potassium alum

Mineral crystals are found everywhere in nature. For their education, special conditions are needed. 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 water solutions saturated with SiO2 silica.

natural sulfur crystals

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

On the shores of salt lakes and seas one 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).

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SALT

grown salt crystals

For the growth of the right crystals, rest is needed. You can not shake or move the table or shelf on which there is a container with growing crystals.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SUGAR

sugar crystals

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

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM COPPER sulphate

Copper sulfate is sold in shops for gardeners, from it, and from slaked lime, they prepare "Bordeaux liquid" to protect plants from fungi and various diseases.

In order to grow a crystal of copper sulphate (Cu SO4 * 5H2O) of the correct shape, powdered copper sulphate 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 the dissolution stops. At the end of a wire or woolen thread we tie a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulphate. Where to get it? You can look in the same package from which you poured the vitriol into the water, a larger crystal. If this is not found, leave your solution to cool, and after a while you will see small crystals at the bottom.

Easy to grow beautiful copper crystals. A detailed description of the process can be found in the detailed article "How to grow copper crystals".

Ferrous sulfate crystals are grown in a similar way, a detailed article on this can be read by clicking on the link in this proposal.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM POTASSIUM ALUMS

grown crystals of potassium alum

Potassium alum (KAI 2*12H2O - mineral alunite) are sold in a pharmacy in powder form. This is a good remedy that "dries out 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 a pharmacy

From these crystals, you need to select a few 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 must be transferred to a new glass, and the solution should be filtered and again filled with growing crystals. Alum crystals, grown to the right size, should be varnished so that they do not melt from the moisture in the air and lose their shape.

Solutions for growing crystals should preferably be prepared with distilled water.

The enterprises also grow crystals of many minerals. But it is impossible to repeat this at home, for this you need 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 Grow 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, in which dyes are added, interesting prismatic and needle-shaped crystals can be grown. In order for the crystals to turn out to be large enough and beautiful, you must strictly follow the attached instructions.

Strangely, the instructions that are in the box shown in the photo do not indicate which chemical is used to grow the crystals and which dye is used. Other than that, it's pretty detailed.

Many interesting processes take place in nature. One of them is the creation of rock crystals. But this wonderful process, shrouded in mystery, can be reproduced at home, observing how beautiful minerals gradually grow from substances familiar to us.

The safest ingredient is sugar. It’s worth starting with it, especially since such crystals are not only beautiful, but also edible. You need to take:

2 glasses of water;
3 cups more sugar
sticks;
paper or clothespins;
capacity;
glasses;
food coloring.

Syrup is boiled from 1/4 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Then sticks are dipped into it and rolled in a small amount of sugar poured on a napkin. When they are completely dry, take a container, pour 2 cups of water into it and pour half the amount of sugar. We reduce the fire to a minimum, place the container on the stove, and stirring, wait for the dissolution of all the sugar. Add the rest of the sand and dissolve it. Turn off the burner and let the solution stand for about 20 minutes. Pour hot syrup into glasses and add food coloring to each. We put holders on the sticks. When we dip these sticks into the hot syrup, the limiter will prevent contact with the walls and bottom of the dish. In about 7 days, a miracle will happen.

Another available ingredient is NaCl - edible salt. Getting Started:

Pour warm water into a glass - 200 ml.
Add salt in portions, stirring all the time. We do this until the salt crystals cease to dissolve. It will take approximately 70 g. It is important that the salt is clean, otherwise the experiment may end in a negative result.
We take a container with water, put on fire. We place a glass there, and let it stay there until the solution in it is heated. Do not forget to put a rag or some kind of stand on the bottom of the container, otherwise the glass will crack.
We prepare a simple device, consisting of a pencil with a thread tied to it, at the end of which the largest crystal of salt is fixed. If instead of a crystal we tie a pebble or a figurine made of copper wire, then at the end we will get a very beautiful sample.
We take out the glass, pass the solution through filter paper. We lay the device on the edges of the glass. A thread with a crystal will sink into a saturated solution. Set aside a dark place for dishes.
We observe how the crystal grows. When you decide that it has grown enough, take it out and dry it, varnish it. Handle it with care - it is very fragile.

Very beautiful blue crystals grow from blue vitriol. This material is not as safe as sugar or salt, so wear gloves. The technology is almost the same:

We take a glass jar and pour water - 300 ml.
We gradually introduce copper sulfate until the solution is supersaturated.
We put a pot of water on the stove, put a jar in it and heat it.
We hang a bead or a button on a thread. Tie to a wooden stick.
We take out the jar, let the solution cool.
We place a stick with a thread across the hole in the jar. We make sure that the load does not touch the bottom and walls of the vessel.
We wait until the crystal grows, then we take it out.
We apply the coating using colorless nail polish.

Good crystals grow from potassium alum (alunite). Buy them at the pharmacy. Then:

dissolved in hot water;
filter;
put in a quiet place, temperature - room temperature;
crystals appear after a few days at the bottom of the dishes;
choose the best ones, transfer them to another dish and fill them with an old filtered solution;
repeat this operation in 2-3 days until minerals of the desired size are obtained;
taken out, blotted with a napkin and varnished.

In stores that sell toys, sometimes there are kits with materials for growing crystals. They contain aluminum and potassium sulfates, as well as ammonium phosphate and dyes.

To sum it up: growing crystals is a creative, exciting process. If you do this with a child, then who knows, maybe a famous explorer will grow out of him?

Crystals always attract attention with their beauty, naturalness and unusualness. These characteristics are possessed not only by natural types of stones, but also artificially created. Many needlewomen, novice chemists are wondering how to grow a crystal from salt at home? Let's deal with this task, 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 make a bright blue or 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 can happen in a matter of days. The growth of a stone depends on many factors: the saturation of the solution, the temperature and humidity of the air, the type of salt used for the crystal, the base. For the successful cultivation of such beauty, you need to prepare:

A container where a salt crystal will grow (any size can be, 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 (wood or glass).
White filter paper or tissue paper.

How to quickly grow a crystal from table salt and water

When wondering how to grow a crystal from salt, get ready that for this task you will need from 3 weeks to 6-7 months, depending on the desired size of the final product. The resulting stone will be very brittle, so do not touch it with your hands. To keep such a masterpiece for a long time, cover the product with a transparent varnish. Consider the step-by-step process of preparing a crystal from table salt:

Color crystal: blue or blue DIY

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, it is also worth adding not a large number of of blue color. When the molecules begin to combine, 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 in any store for gardeners and summer residents. With it, you need to do the same actions as with salt. But since the chemical composition of copper sulfate can be hazardous to health, it is recommended that the solution be removed to a place inaccessible to children and animals. Here is the step by step process to create a dark blue crystal:

How to make a big white sea salt crystal

When using the classic version 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 what salts are best for growing crystals? Sea salt is also suitable for this purpose. The difference is in what the result will be.

To obtain unusual masterpieces of nature, you need to put in one container to grow a crystal from table salt, and in another - from sea salt. In the second case, the growth rate can 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 do large crystal white color from sea salt, use this method:

Prepare a transparent glass (or glass jar) for the future process.
Dissolve a large amount of sea salt in warm spring water, strain the liquid through a thick cloth or gauze.
Pour the saturated solution into the chosen glass.
Take one crystal of sea salt, tie a thread to it and lower it into a container with the resulting liquid for several weeks or months.
When the size of the stone is as you need, take it out, dry it with napkins and varnish it.
Having received a white stone, you will not be able to paint it in a different color, since food paints will drain from the walls. The only way to get a bright shade of a stone is to add pigment directly to the solution from which the crystal will grow.
If, during the growth of the stone, the liquid level drops to a minimum, pour a solution of the same consistency into the container.

Photos and pictures of crystals of a beautiful and unusual shape

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

Video instruction: we grow houses from ordinary salt

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

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