How to Make Water Crystals

Making water crystals is fascinating and fun.

Crystals can be found in nature in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Different substances create different types of crystalline structures. You can recreate this process by creating a water crystal experiment that develops both sugar and salt crystals from water. In the end of the experiment, you will be left with two differently shaped crystals. Everything needed to successfully produce water crystals can be found at any grocery store.

Things You'll Need

• 2 bamboo skewers
• 2 mason jars
• Water
• Sugar
• Salt
• Saucepan

Instructions

1. Heat 2 cups of water in a saucepan until it boils.

2. Pour 1 cup of the boiling water into a glass mason jar, and the other cup of boiling water into a second mason jar.

3. Pour 1 cup of salt into one of the jars, and 1 cup of sugar into the other jar. Stir both of the solutions thoroughly.

4. Place a bamboo skewer into each of the jars.

5. Place the jars in a location where they will not be disturbed for at least one week.

6. Check the jars after one week to see the differences in how the crystalline structures are developing.

References

• National Research Council Canada: Growing Sugar Crystals
• Iqio: Growing Water Crystals