Crystals can be grown from almost any substance. Crystals are obtained from proteins, iodine, various metals. Not many people know that even from the air you can get crystals by cooling it to a certain temperature. However, in a normal environment, it is most easy to grow crystals from inorganic salts. In this article, we will consider a method for growing crystals of copper sulfate, which is easy to find and purchase.
First of all, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the experience process in the video
[media = https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v = iLoHx0XjuNo]
What do we need:
- copper sulfate;
- a glass;
- hot water;
- plate;
- cardboard;
- colorless nail polish
The very first thing to do before starting to grow a crystal is to seed, that is, a crystal that is subsequently lowered into the solution. This crystal will continue to grow. The seed should be about the size of a pea.
To get started, take a cup and pour salt into it in about half or a third of a glass.
Then we pour hot water into our cup, and mix everything thoroughly.
Checking if enough salt has been poured is quite simple. To do this, continue to pour salt until it stops dissolving.
After the salt has ceased to dissolve, and the solution has become as saturated as possible, it must be filtered, since usually in the salts there are impurities of various insoluble substances.
After the solution is filtered, you need to drop a small amount of small crystals to the bottom and leave this glass for a day to form large crystals at the bottom.
After 24 hours, large crystals form at the bottom of the glass, the size of which is quite suitable for seed.
We merge the solution into another glass, because you need to pick out the resulting mass of crystals. To do this, take a knife and pick open the grown mass of crystals at the bottom of the glass.
Pour crystals into a plate and select the smoothest and largest crystal.
After we have chosen the largest and most “successful” crystal, it must be tied with a thread.
You also need to take a piece of cardboard and make a simple system, as shown in the figure below.
We hang the crystal in a glass with a solution. The system from a piece of cardboard, which the author uses, as well as which we offer, allows us to provide the most efficient environment for growing crystals. Thanks to this system, dust does not enter the glass.
Crystal growth requires considerable time and patience.
If you want to get a more beautiful crystal, then you need to filter the solution every two weeks so that it is always clean. You can also periodically add saturated solution to a glass with a crystal to maintain the required level.
When the crystal has grown to the required size, it must be removed from the solution and dried.
After that, it is necessary to cover it with colorless nail polish with one or even two layers. If this is not done, then the crystal will eventually begin to dry out and collapse.
