How to Change the Patterns Formed by Ice Crystals
When ice is converted from a liquid to a solid it forms in distinctive crystalline patterns. The growth of ice crystals is a process known as nucleation, and there are four ways in which nucleation can occur, distinguished by variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, pressure and relative humidity. By changing these two properties you can alter the shape of individual crystals, the shape of the entire crystalline form and other features such as the presence of air pockets. Experiment by combining different intervening forces to make your own ice collection. Finished crystals can be observed as is or under a microscope; just work quickly or your experiment will be a wash.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Ice cube tray
- Clear plastic cup
- Spoon
- Wooden skewer
- Toothpick
- Glass slides
- Tray
- Microscope
Instructions
-
-
1
Freeze ice in a tray as normal as a control.
-
2
Change the amount of air in the water. Turn the faucet on high, use a straw to blow bubbles or stir the water vigorously. Freeze water in a bowl or ice cube tray.
-
-
3
Use refrigerated, warm or hot water for a different result. Place one drop of each on a glass slide and then put all of the slides on a tray for easy transport.
-
4
Insert objects made of different materials into the water. Consider how the properties of each object will affect the formation of the ice -- e.g., a metal spoon will quickly cool and create a cold spot in the water, around which ice will form.
-
5
Interrupt the formation of crystals in the middle of the freezing process. Stir the icy water, shake the tray, add warm water or insert an object.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
When mixing cool and warm water, add food coloring to distinguish one temperature batch from another. Observe color patterns in the resulting crystal to observe the current within the ice tray or cup.
Use trays and containers made from different materials to change the way that the water cools.
Keep in mind that any object inserted directly into the water may be subject to a second form of nucleation, that of carbon dioxide; small gas bubbles will gather around the object and create air pockets. Alleviate this phenomenon by wetting the object first and swirling it in the water to dislodge the bubbles.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
