How to Make Crystal

Prepare a simple water and potassium-based solution for growing crystals at home with just a handful of everyday items. There are many reasons to grow your own crystals at home. While it is true that purchasing crystals from a store is the quickest way to acquire them, starting your own crystal-growing hobby gives you an opportunity to witness the crystals taking on their symmetrical forms before your eyes. By making crystals from scratch, you have the opportunity to show off your personal taste by adding your favorite color combinations to your homemade crystal growing solution.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Water
• Potassium aluminum sulfate
• Glass jar
• Small rocks (just a handful)
• Food coloring (any colors)

1. Get a handful of small rocks. Inspect the rocks for dirt and mold. Keep only the cleanest ones. Wash the rocks with water (do not use dish washing detergent or soap). Use a toothbrush to remove dirt or film. Continue to wash the stones until the surface of each stone is smooth and dirt free. Fill a glass jar with water, just enough to cover a handful of small rocks.

2. Pour potassium aluminum sulfate into the glass jar. Stir the glass jar's contents while adding more potassium aluminum sulfate. The purpose of adding more potassium solution is to increase the number of solute molecules so that the chances of attraction are increased. At some point, the water will not dilute any more potassium solution. When you reach this point, stop adding the solution to the water. There is now a sufficient amount of potassium solution to start growing crystals.

3. Submerse the clean rocks in the glass jar. These rocks are what the crystals will grow on. It is a process known as "assisted nucleation," which means a solid object acts as a conduit for the molecules in the liquid to grow on.

4. Drop food coloring into the contents of the glass jar. Use any colors you would like for your crystals. Whatever colors you place in the water will be absorbed into the growing crystals. Leave the rocks in the glass jar for about 3 weeks to form the first crystals. Use a pair of tweezers to remove the crystals from the glass jar. Set the crystals on a washcloth to air dry, and your crystals are finished. If you wish to grow larger crystals, simply place the crystals back into the jar, and then add more potassium solution and water.

References

• How Crystals Form and Grow

Resources

• Crystal Growing Kits