Got a sweet tooth? Then this is experiment for you!
NOTE: This experiment involves a stove and boiling water, so please make sure to take the proper precautions.
Materials:
- 3 cup of Sugar
- 1 cup of Water
- String or pipe cleaner
- Pencil or stick
- Paperclip
- Tall jar or glass
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Food coloring (Optional)
- Flavoring (Optional)
Procedure:
- Twist or tie the string around the middle of the pencil and the paperclip to the other end of the string. Make sure the string is short enough that the paperclip is dangling above the bottom of the jar when the pencil is resting on top.
- Wet the string, roll it in the sugar and set it aside.
- Boil the water in the pot on the stove and when it starts to boil take it off the stove to settle.
- Add in the sugar a half cup at a time, mixing continuously until sugar starts to collect at the bottom of the pot even when you stir.
- Add in the food coloring and/or flavoring.
- Pour the mixture into the jar until it is about an inch from the top.
- Place the pencil over the jar with the string and paperclip hanging in the mixture.
- Set the mixture somewhere where it will not be disturbed (but do not refrigerate) and wait.
- In a day or so, you will start to see crystals start forming on the string. You can then leave the string in the mixture until the crystals have grown as big as you want or until they stop growing completely.
- Remove the string from the glass, dry your crystal and enjoy!
What Happened:
The crystals formed on the string because because the sugar mixture was a super saturated solution. This means that there was more sugar dissolved in the hot water than room temperature (or cold) water can hold. When the water cooled down, the sugar could not stay dissolved and "came out" of the solution. The sugar then adhered the the string which acted as a "seed" and sugar crystals formed.
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