Sugar Crystal Project for Fifth Grade
A crystal is a solid made of particles arranged in a geometric pattern. Crystals form during a process called crystallization where a substance changes from a liquid or gas into a solid. Making sugar crystals is a sweet way for students to learn about crystals and the process of crystallization.
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Ingredients & Equipment
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Sugar crystals are made from readily available materials. The ingredients for making sugar crystals are ordinary granulated white sugar and water. The supplies for preparing the sugar syrup that forms the crystals include measuring cups, measuring spoons, a mixing spoon, and a saucepan or microwaveable bowl. The supplies for growing the crystals include drinking glasses, cotton string, masking tape and pencils or coffee stirrers.
Creating Crystals
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Sugar crystals are created by mixing together sugar and boiling water in a two to one ratio such as one and a half cups of sugar to three-quarters of a cup of water. The resulting mixture is stirred until the sugar dissolves. Then the mixture is heated until clear. Drinking glasses are then half-filled with syrup and a piece of cotton string is dipped into the syrup and allowed to dry. Then the end of the string is tied or taped to a pencil of coffee stirrer that is placed across the top of the glass so that the string is suspended half exposed to air and half covered in solution. This keeps the string from falling into the glass. Crystals will generally form on the string in about two weeks.
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Concepts
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The sugar crystal project includes several different concepts such as saturation, supersaturation and solutions. A solution is created when one substance is evenly dispersed in another substance without going through a chemical change. In the sugar crystal project, the sugar syrup is a solution. A solution can be saturated or supersaturated. A saturated solution is created when one substance is mixed with the largest possible dissolve-able amount of another substance. In the sugar crystal project, a saturated solution is created when the sugar is completely dissolved in the water and the final solution appears clear. Supersaturated solutions contain more of the second substance than can actually be dissolved. A supersaturated sugar solution is created when more sugar is added to the water than will dissolve. Final solution looks cloudy rather than clear.
Experiments
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Sugar crystals can be used in a variety of experiments. One test involves creating both a saturated solution and supersaturated solution and then measuring which crystallizes faster. Another test involves creating both sugar crystals and Epsom salt crystals and then comparing them under a magnifying lens or microscope. Do they have the same structure? How do their structures compare to a loose grains of sugar or Epsom salt?
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References
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