Crystal Garden

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Visitors observe a tray holding a crystal-covered brick. The crystals were created by evaporation of a solution containing liquid bluing, ammonia, and salt. The bluing contains particles of iron hexacyanoferrate (KFe2(CN)6) which provide starting points, or “seed” crystals, for salt crystals to form. The salt crystals grew out from the brick over several days. The crystals grew in the same shapes, each crystal growing on top of other crystals, creating delicate patterns that look like trees.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
1 to 7 days
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 6 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • 40 ml liquid bluing (“Mrs. Stewart’s” Liquid Bluing, available at grocery stores or from Luther Ford & Company, P.O. Box 201405, Bloomington, MN 55420)
  • 40 ml NH3 (household ammonia)
  • 8 tsp NaCl (sodium chloride, table salt)
  • 80 ml H2O (water)
  • One porous brick
  • One shallow dish (the brick should easily fit inside it)
  • One Plexiglas cover (it should extend at least 2 in. above the dish)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Solutions
    • Structure and Properties of Matter

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation