Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19971016072242.0069d364@mail.walltech.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 07:22:42 -0500
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: geoff ruth <geoffr@eastside.org>
Subject: Re: request for crystal growing labs
In-Reply-To: <34457FA7.2567@well.com>
Jory,
I did a similar lab a couple weeks ago in 9th/10th grade earth science. I
used just NaCl, but if I were to do it again, I would use CuSO4, like
your're doing. The way I did it was by having kids use a seed crystal to
grow their own crystals, and letting the water evaporate by itself from
beakers. Your way seems like it ought to work fine as well.
After the kids grew their crystals, they looked at them under 10x
dissecting scopes, which was pretty interesting. Some of the crystals
didn't show any crystal form, even under the microscope, but other ones
showed very clear cubic crystals.
You could also try growing crystals from sugar or epsom salts.
-Geoff
Eastside School
2101 Pulgas Avenue
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 323-5898