Buzz
Crystals are composed of atoms, molecules, or ions arranged in a highly ordered structure with a recognizable geometric form. When water is combined with crystal-forming substances like alum, salt, or sugar, crystals will begin to form within a few hours. Read on to learn how to create crystals, make crystal decorations, and create colorful crystal candy.
Steps
Creating Crystals Using Alum
Fill a jar halfway with warm water. Make sure the jar is thoroughly cleaned, as any impurities could ruin the crystal structure. A clear jar will help you monitor the crystal formation process.
Stir the alum. Add a few spoonfuls of alum to a jar and stir the mixture until the alum dissolves. Keep adding alum and stirring until the solution becomes saturated. Leave the mixture undisturbed for a few hours. As the water begins to evaporate, crystals will form at the bottom of the jar.
- Alum is a mineral commonly used for pickling cucumbers and other vegetables. You can find alum at most grocery stores.
- A sign that the alum has saturated the water is when it starts to accumulate at the bottom of the jar.
Harvest the crystal seeds. Select large crystals with appealing shapes for harvesting. Then, pour the liquid into a clean jar (do not add saturated alum to the new jar) and use tweezers to pick up the crystals settled at the bottom.
- If the crystals aren't large enough, wait a few more hours before harvesting them.
- If you wish to continue crystal growth in the original jar, leave it for a week or longer. By that time, crystals will accumulate at the bottom and sides of the jar.
Use thin nylon thread or dental floss to tie around the crystal and dip it into a new jar. Secure the thread tightly around the crystal, then tie the other end to a pencil. Rest the pencil on the edge of the second jar and immerse the crystal in the solution.
Wait for the crystals to form. Once the crystals have reached the desired shape and size, you can remove them from the water. Untie the thread and enjoy the results of your creation.
Creating Crystal Decorations
Prepare a solution of water and alum. Fill a jar halfway with water, then add a few spoonfuls of alum. Continue adding alum until the solution becomes saturated.
- You can replace alum with salt or borax if preferred.
- If you'd like to create multi-colored decorations, you can divide the solution into several jars.
Add dye to the jar. Drop a few drops of red, blue, yellow, green, or any other color into the solution. If you have several jars of solution, you can add one color to each jar.
- Mix different food colors to create unique shades. For example, you can combine 4 drops of yellow with one drop of blue to make light green, or mix red and blue to create purple.
- For festive decorations, choose colors that match the theme of the event.
Bend the plastic tubing into a decorative shape. This could be a tree, star, snowflake, pumpkin, or any other shape you wish to create. Make sure the shape is clearly defined and recognizable, and keep in mind that crystals will stick to the tubing. As a result, the edges of the shape will become thicker.
Hang the tubing on the rim of the jar. Dip the formed part of each tube into the jar, ensuring it is suspended in the center without touching the sides or bottom. Hook the other end over the rim and bend it to secure the tube.
- If you’ve used multiple colors in the solution, pick a color that complements the shape of the tubing. For example, if you're making a tree, dip the tube into green-colored solution.
- If you're dipping multiple tubes into the same jar, ensure they don't touch each other to avoid interfering with crystal growth.
Wait for the crystals to form. Keep the tubes in the jar for one or two weeks, until the crystals have grown to the desired size. Once you're satisfied, carefully remove the decorations from the jar. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Now, you can hang them up and decorate your home with your crystal creations.
Making Crystal Candy
Prepare a mixture of water and sugar. To make crystal candy, it’s best to use sugar as the base instead of alum or salt. Fill a jar halfway with warm water and stir in sugar until it's fully dissolved.
- Common sugar to use is white granulated sugar, but you can experiment with brown sugar, raw sugar, and other types.
- Do not substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar.
Add color and flavor. You can make your candy more appealing by adding a few drops of food coloring and natural flavorings to the mixture. Feel free to mix and match different flavors and colors, or try using a specific recipe:
- Red coloring with cinnamon flavor.
- Yellow coloring with lemon flavor.
- Green coloring with mint flavor.
- Blue coloring with raspberry flavor.
Dip the wooden sticks into the solution. Place a few wooden sticks into the jar, letting them rest against the sides. If you don’t have wooden sticks, you can also use skewers or wooden dowels.
Cover the jar with a plastic bag. Since the solution contains sugar, it will attract ants while the crystals are forming. It’s recommended to tightly cover the jar with a plastic bag to prevent insects from getting inside.
Wait for the crystals to form. After one or two weeks, the crystals will build up on the sticks. You should remove them from the jar, allow them to dry, and then enjoy and share the delicious candy with friends.
Tips
- You can also use salt and Epsom salt.
- If you boil the water, the crystals will grow larger.
- You can also tie a string around the stick.
- You can use CuSO4•5(H2O) (copper sulfate or copper sulphate).
Things You’ll Need
Alum Crystal
- 2 glass jars
- Water
- Alum (salt or borax can serve as alternatives)
- String
- Tweezers
Crystal Decorations
- Glass jar
- Water
- Alum, salt or borax
- Clean tube
- Food coloring
Crystal Candy
- Glass jar
- Water
- Food coloring
- Flavoring
- Sticks, skewers or dowels
- Plastic bag
