How to Make Sugar Crystals for Kids
Making sugar crystals, or rock candy, is one of the most exciting (and tasty) science experiments a child can do. The child learns how small crystals form into a larger one as the molecules line up when heated and cooled. Doing sugar crystal experiments with your children will bring back grade-school memories of when you performed the exact same task. If you've forgotten the procedure, don't sweat it; chances are you already have all the materials in your home. A jar, a string, sugar and water are the only things needed to make some sweet, tasty science.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- String
- Large jar
- Microwave
- Pencil
- Food dye (optional)
Instructions
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1
Tie a string around the middle of a pencil and place the pencil across the top of a large jar. Make sure that the string dangling from the pencil is long enough to almost touch the bottom of the jar. Cut the string if necessary. Remove the string and pencil from the jar.
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2
Pour 1 cup of water into the jar and place it in the microwave. Set the power level to high, and microwave for 2 minutes. The water must come to a boil, so if 2 minutes is not enough, increase the time at increments of 30 seconds.
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3
Remove the jar from the microwave with a pot holder or towel; do not pick up the jar directly, as the glass will be very hot.
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4
Stir in the 2 ½ cups of sugar a little at a time, stirring after each addition to make sure that the sugar dissolves completely into the water.
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5
Leave the jar as is if you want white crystals, or add 1 to 2 drops of food dye to create multicolored crystals. Stir after each addition of coloring.
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6
Place the pencil with the string attached back on top of the jar, and allow the string to dangle in the sugar water. Carefully move the jar to a safe spot (such as the back of a counter or a high shelf) where it will not be touched. Allow the crystals to form for at least 24 hours. After 24 hours, they will attach to the string but will be small; after a few more days, you will start to see larger crystals.
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Tips & Warnings
This is the same basic procedure for making rock candy. If you would like to make rock candy sticks, purchase candy dowels from a craft store and have an adult create a hole in the middle of the jar lid large enough for the dowel to fit through. If you prefer to use a string, tie a weight to the end and cover the jar in wax paper to prevent dust from getting in. Follow the same procedure but add flavoring extracts such as vanilla to the sugar water after the sugar has dissolved. Rock candy will take much more time to get large--at least seven days.
