Experiment with copper sulfate crystals. How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home. Create a large crystal using salt

Part one: “On how to grow a polycrystal in just 1 hour”

There are many articles on the Internet on how to grow crystals. Most often, a crystal is grown from copper sulfate(the color is beautiful, easy to get, easy to grow).

A seed (not big crystal ik), cover the glass with gauze and leave the solution to slowly evaporate. The procedure is simple, but it takes weeks, and sometimes months, for the crystal to grow.

Is it possible in grow crystals faster, for example - per day?! Of course you can, but instead of one large crystal you get an intergrowth of smaller crystals - POLYXTAL - which, thanks to its bizarre shape, is in no way inferior, and even surpasses in beauty, a crystal of the correct shape.

In this article we will tell and show how to grow beautiful polycrystals of copper sulfate (see picture) in the shortest time.

Materials:

Copper sulfate 200 g, water, 0.25 l jar, ice cream stick, 0.5 l jar, thread.

Step 1.

In hot clean water (no need for boiling water, 70-80 ˚C) dissolve copper sulfate powder (sold in any garden store in the fertilizer department) with the calculation of 100-150 g of copper sulfate per 200 ml of water. Stir the solution with a stick until the vitriol stops dissolving in the water.

Note : If you managed to dissolve all the vitriol in the water, then it is not enough and you need to add more. There should eventually be an insoluble sediment at the bottom of the jar.

Our main goal is to achieve a saturated state of the solution (i.e., a solution in which no more substance can dissolve). To do this, you need to dissolve as many grams of copper sulfate as possible in a given volume of liquid.

*How to achieve a saturated solution or how much vitriol should be diluted in water?

To answer this question, let's look at how the solubility of copper sulfate changes with temperature (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Change in solubility of CuSO 4 with temperature (in g per 100 g of water)

As can be seen from the graph, with increasing temperature, the solubility of copper sulfate increases quite quickly. But when the temperature reaches approximately 80 °C, further heating leads to almost no increase in solubility.

In addition, when heated above 90 degrees, the solution becomes cloudy and black flakes form as a precipitate, which affects the purity of the crystal.

Therefore, the optimal dissolution temperature of copper sulfate for growing a crystal is 80 degrees.

Step 2.

Once we have achieved a saturated solution, we need to filter it. We used a 0.5 liter jar as an intermediate reservoir. We poured the entire solution with sediment into it.

The jar in which we grow the crystal was rinsed from any remaining sediment.

Now filter the solution. To do this, fold gauze or bandage in several layers and pour our liquid through it.

The sediment remains on the gauze.

Step 3.

Cut a hole in the popsicle stick and wrap a thread around it. At the end of the thread we tie a knot or hang any weight on which the crystal will subsequently be built up.

Step 4.

We lower a thread with a knot into the filtered saturated solution so that the knot is in the center of the liquid volume. The height of the knot can be adjusted by winding and unwinding the thread around the stick.

Step 5.

Cover the jar with a layer of gauze and place the jar in a quiet place with a constant temperature. The jar was covered with gauze to prevent dust and dirt from getting into it. And temperature changes and shocks can negatively affect crystal growth.

Step 6.

We wait.

As the solution cools (next hour), the concentration of copper sulfate in the jar will sharply increase, because at a lower temperature, much less substance dissolves in water and the excess substance formed during cooling precipitates in the form of crystals.

As it cools, all the “excess” substance at a given temperature passes into the solid phase, building a crystalline structure in the crystallization site - on the thread. As a result, many small crystals are formed on the thread, which are growing on top of each other in new layers, forming a beautiful polycrystalline body.

This is the crystal that grew after 2 hours of growth in cooling water. A good start. But there is still more to come. Read how to grow a crystal further into a big and beautiful one in just one day in our next article.

In the meantime, you can watch everything we talked about in this article in the video version, which shows in detail all the stages of growing a crystal described above.

We hope our article and video material will help you grow your own unique crystal, which will delight you and your loved ones with its beauty.Good luck!

The second part of the article ("On how to continue growing a large crystal in a fast time") read here:

The manufacturing process is no less attractive than the gift itself. Try this with your children - your delight will know no bounds.

Read also:

Making a beautiful crystal

Here are the main steps.

Preparation

The product can be purchased at any rural hardware store. This substance is used on the farm and is used to control pests. When using vitriol at home, you need to remember that it is toxic. When working with the substance, your hands must be protected with gloves, and your respiratory tract with a bandage. It is best to wash your hands as often as possible.

Required:

When carrying out the procedure, prepare the water; it should not be from the water supply, since it contains a high content of chlorine, this substance will react with vitriol and only worsen the quality of the crystals. As a last resort, you can use boiled water;
copper sulfate;
wire;
a thin thread or hair, the crystals become transparent when grown, so the thread should not be visible;

Growing

Two methods are used for production. The first one is for those who doesn't like to wait. It takes 7 days to make, and the result will be many crystals attached to each other. The other method is long, but the result will surprise you; the resulting thing will be solid and look like gem.

Fast way

You will need a 0.5 liter jar, add 200 grams of copper sulfate to it, pour the mixture with a glass of water. The jar should be placed on a sand stove; when heating, the mixture should be stirred constantly, the grains of powder should be completely dissolved;

After the mixture has become homogeneous, the dishes are removed from the bath and placed on a cold surface. The mixture should come to room temperature. The copper sulfate crystal will serve as a seed for the solution; it should be smooth and large;

Nothing should touch the walls of the glass. If everything doesn't dissolve in the liquid, it's okay. When cooled, the solution releases salt, which in turn remains on the thread. Most of the vitriol settles at the bottom, since contact with a cold surface occurs most quickly there. To make it more convenient to lower the thread into the glass, you can attach it to a pencil and place it on the surface.

The thread with crystals must be removed from the solution.

The procedure of heating the mixture in a sand bath is repeated, after the sediment has dissolved, the bath is turned off, the dishes must be covered with a lid and wait for the solution to cool.

The thread is placed in the solution and secured so that the substance does not touch the bottom and walls of the glass. Leave the container overnight; in the morning, interestingly shaped formations will be found in the container;

The shape of the crystal can be changed replacing the thread with wire, because it can be bent into any shape, heart, square. The wire will serve as a good frame. If you need to make sure that some edges stop growing, they need to be greased;

Second method

To get a large crystal, it will take more time and you need to approach the choice of seed responsibly; the larger and smoother the formation, the more beautiful the product will be.

You will need 200 ml of water and 100 grams of vitriol.

The vitriol is mixed with water in a jar or glass and left for a day. The substance must be stirred until it dissolves. Next, the solution is filtered, and what remains at the bottom can be used again to prepare the solution;

The resulting solution is poured into another container;

To seed, you need to tie a “pebble” to a thread, the other end is best secured to a stick and placed horizontally on a glass. Then you need to lower it vertically, the dishes should be covered with a cloth to prevent dust from entering;

In a few days the product will grow, increase every day;

Difficulties may arise when making a crystal, but to avoid this, you should:

If you want to get a single pebble, then the solution should be poured into a clean container and a large crystal should be placed there;
Crystals can also form on the thread, and to prevent this from happening, you need to raise the main one higher so that the thread does not come into contact with water;
Instead of woolen thread, you can use nylon or thin wire, but if you change the base, the formation will take longer to grow;
Important observe the temperature regime, otherwise, at elevated temperatures, the crystal may dissolve; if this happens, then you should add a couple of tablespoons of copper to the solution and let it brew for 6 hours, while stirring the mixture. The solution is drained so that there is no residue in it, then the experiment is repeated;

The product loses moisture when exposed to air and breaks down after a while, so you need to store the substance in a cool place in a tight container.

©Kireeva Elena Stanislavovna, 2018

Topic: “Growing crystals from copper sulfate”

Copper sulfate is a substance that, due to its beautiful bright blue color, is ideal for growing crystals. You can give them to your loved ones or use them as a decorative element. In any case, they will not leave anyone indifferent, and the manufacturing process can become truly exciting. So, how to grow a crystal from copper sulfate?

Preparatory activities:

Copper sulfate can be purchased at almost any hardware store. It is actively used in agriculture for pest control. However, we should not forget that this substance is toxic. When working with copper sulfate, be sure to use rubber gloves and prevent it from getting into the esophagus and mucous membranes. After finishing work, wash your hands thoroughly in running water.

You can grow a real miracle from copper sulfate, but do not forget about safety precautions during the manufacturing process.

In order to make a crystal, you will need:

water - if possible, use distilled or, in extreme cases, boiled. Raw tap water is absolutely unsuitable due to the content of chlorides, which will react with the solution and deteriorate its quality;

copper sulfate;

plastic glass;

jar 500ml;

filter paper;

fishing line - remember copper sulfate crystals are transparent, and the thread should not be visible through them.

When placing the seed in a container with a solution, make sure that it does not come into contact with the walls or bottom of the container. This can disrupt the crystal growth process and its structure.

Instructions for growing a crystal:

1.mix vitriol and hot water in a suitable container (glass or jar). Stir: the active substance should completely dissolve. After this, filter the solution through cotton wool or filter paper. The sediment remaining on the surface of the filter can be dried and used again if necessary. Leave for a day;

2. the next day, drain all remaining solution into a clean container;

3.select a crystal for the seed, tie it to a fishing line (thread). Fasten the second end of the thread to a pencil and place it horizontally on the container. The seed must be dropped into the solution in a strictly vertical position. Cover the dishes with a piece of cloth or a disk to prevent dust from getting inside;

4.After a few days you will notice that the crystal is growing. In a week it will reach 1 cm, and over time it will increase even more;(this is our next stage)

Be sure to cover the container with the solution and seed with a piece of cloth or disk.You may encounter some difficulties while working. They are easy to overcome by following simple rules.

A large crystal obtained through long-term cultivation.

When exposed to air, the copper sulfate crystal loses some of its moisture, erodes and collapses over time. To avoid this, store it in a tightly closed container in a cool place. Experts advise covering it with colorless varnish - this will create a reliable protective film.

This article will describe in detail how to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home. This material can be useful both for schoolchildren when preparing assignments in the subject “chemistry”, and for anyone interested in this science.

Why copper sulfate?

This substance belongs to the class of salts, which means its solution can easily be turned into a solid through the process of crystallization. Growing stone from it, as a rule, occurs much faster than when using materials such as salt or sugar. In addition, crystals from copper sulfate turn out to be a beautiful blue color. With proper cultivation, they acquire the correct multifaceted shape, so observing the result of your own experience can be very interesting and pleasant.

Another argument in favor of choosing this particular material may be its availability. You can buy a jar of copper sulfate at any store that specializes in selling supplies for gardeners and summer residents.

What do you need to know before starting the experience?

This chapter will provide some theoretical knowledge that will help you in the future grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home. First of all, you need to understand what processes need to happen for the experiment to be successful.

Schoolchildren know from chemistry lessons that many liquid and gaseous substances can acquire a solid consistency. This usually occurs during the crystallization process. But what if the task is to obtain a solid substance from sugar, salt or copper sulfate, which are already such? Science says it is quite possible to do this. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to start the recrystallization process. That is, the result of the experiment can be considered successful if small stones, having dissolved in the liquid, are immediately transformed into the same solid clumps.

Recrystallization

The main condition under which such a process can be carried out is the presence of a supersaturated solution.

This means that growing crystals at home from copper sulfate requires the preparation of such a mixture. A liquid can be called supersaturated with any substance if there is so much material dissolved in it that some of it cannot completely mix with it and settles at the bottom of the container. Therefore, in order to figure out how to grow a crystal from copper sulfate, you must first learn how to make a supersaturated solution.

Hygienic requirements

First of all, it is worth taking care of the necessary sterility in which the experiment should take place. Ideally, an amateur chemist's hair should be covered with a hat, and it is best to wear rubber gloves on his hands. Copper sulfate, if handled carefully and wisely, does not pose any danger to the human body.

All of the above precautions are needed primarily to protect the solution from dust and small particles of foreign materials getting into it. This is extremely undesirable, since other crystals may begin to grow on similar grains of sand that accidentally fall into the liquid, which will slow down the development of the main stone.

Supersaturated solution recipe

To prepare it, you will need a saucepan, water, a jar of copper sulfate, and a container in which the main part of the experiment will be carried out (a vessel with transparent walls is best suited for this purpose, since you will need to observe the growth of the crystal daily). Also, to accomplish this task, you will need a sheet of paper, a match and a thread (it is best if it is not fleecy, but, for example, silk or made from a similar material).

So, let's begin the first stage of making a crystal from copper sulfate at home. The pan with water must be placed on low heat. When the liquid is already hot enough, but has not yet had time to boil, you need to pour a few tablespoons of copper sulfate into it. The water should be stirred until the blue substance is completely dissolved.

Repeat this step multiple times

When this happens, add a couple more tablespoons of copper sulfate. The liquid must be stirred thoroughly again.

Don’t be alarmed if this time not all the crystals of the substance were able to dissolve, and some of them formed a sediment at the bottom of the pan. The appearance of such an excess just means that you have achieved the desired result - namely, you have obtained a supersaturated solution. If this does not happen, then you need to add a few more tablespoons of vitriol to the water and stir again. These steps will have to be repeated until sediment appears at the bottom of the pan.

Making "bait"

This fishing term is sometimes used to describe small crystals of copper sulfate, which serve as the basis for further growing stones from this substance.

To make them you need to take three small particles. When choosing crystals, you need to take into account the criterion of the correctness of their shape. The more perfect the selected pieces are, the more correct and high-quality the clot obtained as a result of your experience will be.

Three particles are placed at the bottom of a transparent vessel and filled with a supersaturated vitriol solution.

After this, the container is covered with a sheet of paper and placed in a place with the most stable temperature conditions. As a rule, experts recommend placing it on a windowsill.

This place in the apartment is considered the most secluded, and therefore nothing can interfere with the experiment. After all the necessary actions have been completed, all further steps for growing a crystal from copper sulfate at home can be postponed for 2 days. During this time, the particles placed in the liquid should grow several times and reach the size of a match head.

Selecting the best candidate

From these ingots it is necessary to select the one that has the most correct shape. This is the so-called “bait”. Next, you need to make a supersaturated solution of copper sulfate again. How to do it is described in previous chapters. It should be strained through cheesecloth and poured back into a transparent container. The crystal chosen as “bait” must be tied to a thread, the other end of which must be secured to a match.

Take a sheet of paper and make a hole in the middle of such a size that a manufactured pebble of copper sulfate can pass through it freely. Pass a thread through this hole so that the crystal is on one side of the sheet and the match is on the other. After this, cover the jar with this paper. In this case, the match, naturally, should lie on top, and the crystal should float in the liquid.

Patience and more patience

The problem of how to make a crystal from copper sulfate has already been almost solved. Now you just need to put the vessel again in a secluded place and wait.

It is necessary to ensure that the crystal is, if possible, located in the center of the jar and does not come into contact with the walls. This can be achieved by moving the piece of paper and adjusting the length of the string with a match as the crystal grows.

Various ways

We bring to your attention several more master classes. Crystals from copper sulfate can be grown in a slightly different way.

The second method is to place the jar with the “bait” in an insulated container or wrap the jar in a blanket or other warm thing. This way you can achieve a slower cooling of the supersaturated solution. This option is more complex than the one described earlier, but as a result of its use, pebbles of a very regular shape are obtained. The next way to grow a crystal from copper sulfate is the easiest.

There is no need to make a “bait”. A thread is placed in a container with a supersaturated solution. In this case, it is best to choose the one that is made of the fluffiest material. Its end is tied to a faceted pencil, which is placed on top of the jar on its walls. A crystal will form on the thread itself.

Depending on temperature conditions, the growing experience can last from one week to several months.

How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home - all about traveling to the site

How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home

Preparatory activities

Copper sulfate can be purchased at almost any hardware store. It is actively used in agriculture for pest control. However, we should not forget that this substance is toxic. When working with copper sulfate at home, be sure to use rubber gloves and prevent it from getting into the esophagus and mucous membranes. After finishing work, wash your hands thoroughly in running water.

You can grow a real miracle from copper sulfate, but do not forget about safety precautions during the manufacturing process

In order to make a crystal, you will need:

water - if possible, use distilled or, in extreme cases, boiled. Raw tap water is absolutely not suitable due to the content of chlorides in it, which will react with the solution and deteriorate its quality;
copper sulfate;
cup;
wire;
wool thread - make sure it is thin. You can use long hair. Copper sulfate crystals are transparent and the thread should not be visible through them.

Instructions for growing a crystal

There are two technologies for growing crystals from copper sulfate.

If you don't want to wait long, you can use in a fast way. This will take about a week, and as a result you will get many small crystals attached to one another, like a colony of mussel shells.

The second method is longer. It will help you grow a large, solid crystal that looks like a gemstone.

But both of them are based on working with a saturated solution of a substance.

Note! The higher the water temperature, the faster copper sulfate dissolves in it. But when the liquid reaches +80C°, subsequent heating does not in any way affect the solubility of salts.

Fast way

Take a 500 ml glass or jar, add 200 g of copper sulfate and fill it with 300 ml of water. Place the container in the sand bath and start heating, stirring constantly. The copper sulfate crystals should completely dissolve.

Thoroughly dissolve copper sulfate in warm water

Remove the dishes from the sand bath and place them on a cool surface, such as ceramic tiles. The solution should cool slightly. Now you need to place the seed in it. It will serve as a crystal of copper sulfate, which must be selected in advance - the largest and smoothest.

Place the seed in the solution

Make sure that the seed does not come into contact with the inner surfaces of the glass. Even if the crystal dissolves, don't worry - it doesn't matter. As it cools, the saturated solution releases salts that settle on the thread. The largest amount of vitriol will concentrate at the bottom of the dish, since this is where the glass comes into contact with the cool surface.

A saturated solution of vitriol will begin to form crystals on surfaces

Remove the thread with the formed crystals from the container with the solution. Repeat the procedure: place the glass in a sand bath and heat it so that the sediment dissolves. Turn off the heat. Without removing the dishes from the bath, cover it with a lid of suitable diameter (for example, a petri dish) and let the solution cool slightly.

Thread with the first crystals

Place the thread with crystals in the solution, secure it so that it does not come into contact with the bottom and walls. Cover the container and leave overnight. In the morning you will find in a glass a large cluster of beautiful crystals of an unusual shape.

You can get such a crystal in a day

You can try to give the cluster of crystals a certain shape. To do this, you need to use wire instead of thread. Bend it into a square, circle, heart or star. The wire will become a strong, stable frame for the future figured crystal. If at the same time you need to limit the growth of some edges, lubricate them with Vaseline or fat.

By growing copper sulfate crystals in a quick way, you don’t have to worry about seeds: you can do without them altogether. The sediment will easily attach to the thread.

Second way

In this case, you can grow a large crystal of copper sulfate, but it will take much longer. In addition, unlike the first method, the choice of seed is fundamentally important. In addition, you will have to make sure that small crystals do not stick to it.

The larger and smoother the crystal of copper sulfate selected from the total mass is, the more beautiful the final product will be.

You will need 200 g of warm water and about 110 g of copper sulfate.

Manufacturing instructions:

mix vitriol and water in a suitable container (glass or jar), leave for a day. Stir occasionally: the active substance should completely dissolve. After this, filter the solution through cotton wool or special filter paper. The sediment remaining on the surface of the filter can be dried and used again if necessary;
pour the resulting solution into a clean container;
select a crystal for seeding and tie it to a thread (hair). Fasten the second end of the thread to a stick and place it horizontally on the container. The seed must be lowered into the solution in a strictly vertical position. Cover the dishes with a piece of cloth to prevent dust from getting inside;

A crystal of copper sulfate suitable in size for seeding

after a few days you will notice that the crystal is growing. In a week it will reach 1 cm, and over time it will increase even more;

Be sure to cover the container with the solution and seed with a piece of cloth

You may encounter some difficulties while working. They are easy to overcome by following simple rules.

If during the growth process additional small crystals form inside the container, the solution must be poured into a clean container and the main crystal must be transferred there.

Over time, small crystals may form on the thread holding the seed. To avoid this, raise the main crystal a little higher: a smaller piece of thread will be in contact with the solution.

You can experiment and use nylon thread instead of cotton or wool thread. Thin copper wire will also work. But in this case, the seed will grow worse and the growth process will take more time.

If the temperature in the room in which you are conducting the experiment rises, the seed may dissolve. Add a few tablespoons of copper sulfate to the solution and let it sit for 5-7 hours, stirring regularly. Drain the solution so that there is no sediment left in it and repeat the experiment.

Large crystal obtained through long-term cultivation

How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home (video)

Growing copper sulfate crystals is a long process and requires attention and patience. However, the result will definitely please you. Share your experience with us in the comments. Good luck to you!