THE CRYSTAL GROWING LAB AND CONTEST
PRELAB DUE ON TURNITIN JAN 3-CRYSTALS DUE ON
JANUARY 10. THIS WILL COUNT AS A DO-HOME STATE
LAB
1) THE PRELAB SHOULD EXPLAIN HOW YOU WILL GROW YOUR CRYSTAL...(AS
LARGE AS POSSABILE). YOU WILL USE EPSON SALTS (MgSO4) FROM THE
PHARMACY OR SUPERMARKET...IT IS VERY INEXPENSIVE. YOU SHOULD CITE
FOUR SOURCES...NOT WIKIPEDIA. YOUR PROCEDURE SHOULD BE STEP BY STEP
WITH GREAT DETAIL, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE PICTURES OF YOUR CRYSTAL(S)
AS THEY GROW. BELOW I HAVE INCLUDED SOME SOURCES...REMEMBER TO PUT
THE FACTS INTO YOUR OWN WORDS OR YOUR MATCH SCORE WILL BE HIGH.
THE LINK BELOW IS A BASIC AND SIMPLE INTRODUCTION TO CRYSTAL
GROWING.
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/growingcrystals/a/aa012604.htm
THE LINK BELOW IS MORE DESCRIPTIVE AND PROCEDURAL...NOTE YOU WILL
NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT MENTIONED...I WILL LIST EQUIPMENT IN ANOTHER
SECTION.
http://www.chemistryviews.org/details/education/2538901/Tips_and_Tricks_f
or_the_Lab_Growing_Crystals_Part_2.html.
2) EQUIPMENT: YOU CAN GROW YOUR CRYSTAL IN ANY CONTAINER THAT IS
CLEAN AND WATER PROOF (DO NOT USE PAPER CUPS). PLASTIC CUPS OR OLD
GLASSES ARE FINE (ASK FIRST...DO NOT RAID YOUR FAMILY CUPBOARDS)! YOU
CAN MEASURE THE WATER IN A MEASURING CUP (29.5 mL per 1 ounce) OR A
SYRINGE (1 cc is one mL) which you can obtain FROM A PHARMACY...NO
NEEDLE TYPE.
Y0U PROBABLY DO NOT NEED TO WEIGH THE SALT, HOWEVER IF YOU NEED TO
WEIGH THE SALT...USE A FOOD SCALE (28.3 grams per 1 ounce)...BE CERTAIN
NOT TO LET THE SALT TOUCH THE SCALE...USE A PIECE OF WAX PAPER AS
WEIGHTING PAPER.
3) BE CREATIVE...YOU CAN ALSO USE BORAX (FROM SUPERMARKET LAUNDRY
SECTION) OR OTHER SALTS. THE SALTS YOU CAN GET AT THE MARKET ARE SAFE.
4) THE CONTEST...YOU MAY OPTIONALLY ENTER THE CRYSTAL CONTEST BY
DONATING $ 5.00 TO THE COLLECTION, THE WINNER GETS 10% OF THE
POT...THE REST GOES TO A PREP STUDENT WHO SUFFERS FROM A RARE AND
UNINSURED ILLNESS...ITS A GOOD CAUSE.
5) RULES...THERE ARE NONE...THIS IS LIKE EARLY UFC. THE ONLY RULE IS YOU
MUST DOCCUMENT YOUR CRYSTALS GROWTH IN PICTURES FROM BEGINNIG TO
END. THE OTHER RULE IS:
-DO NOT USE ANY TOXIC SUBSTANCES EVEN IF YOU CAN BUY
THEM(UNLIKELY)...THESE INCLUDE SALTS OF: NITRATES, CHROMATES,
DICHROMATE, PERMANGANATE, CHLORATE, HYPOCHLORITE OR SALTS WITH
LEAD OR MURCURY.
-SALTS YOU CAN USE ARE TATRATES, SULFATES, PHOSPHATES, CHLORIDES,
AMMONIUM, ACETATES, CITRATES.