Round Two: Lesson 1

[RubyRose]

Lesson One : Crystals Defined:-
Crystals are formations that are naturally occuring, inorganic, and organic structures that are formed in specific patterns. And have specific properties aligned with them. And a definite composite compound

Rocks, and Crystals come in three main formations.

Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic.

Igneous: Any rock solidified from molten or partly molten material. eg. basalt, gabbro, and granite are of igneous origin.

Sedimentary: a rock that is formed by the deposition of sediments, sediment disposit may range in size. It may not occur on a horizontal or vertical plane, but most often will. eg. limestone, sandstone, siltstone, conglomerate. Most soft stones if sedimentary will break alone the lines of sediment structure.

Metamorphic: a type of rock that was originally either igneous or sedimentary and has been altered by high temperatures and pressures. eg. marble

Assignment
You will be required to grow your own crystals and report on their progress, over the next few weeks.

Materials:

Salt or sugar
Hot water (almost boiling)
Two clean jars (or a bowl and a clean jar)
Cotton
Popsicle stick
In a jar or bowl, add salt or sugar to hot water and stir until you've reached saturation (meaning you've dissolved as much salt or sugar into the water as you can). Pour the solution into a clean jar, leaving behind any undissolved salt or sugar.

Tie a length of cotton to a popsicle stick and then lower the thread into the solution in the jar until the thread touches the bottom of the jar. The popsicle stick should rest on the lip of the jar and hold the thread over the center of the jar.

Let the jar sit for 15 minutes, then swish the jar a bit. Wait another 15 minutes and swish the jar again. Wait an hour and swish it one final time. Set the jar where it won't be disturbed.

Crystals should begin to develop on the thread within a few hours and continue to grow for a day up to several days.

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[CuriousJadeEyes]

::cries a little bit:: :awwman: I'm sad to say that I have to drop out of the class...my honors classes at school come with a heavy workload and I'm also enrolled in two other classes here. :wah2: Maybe next time. Just thought I'd let you know.

[-Sky-]

That's interesting!Although I really needed to open the dictionary for every word,since in greek crustals' categories are different!
Wow,I didn't know we could make our own simple crystals!This is interesting!I'll try and do it tomorrow or when I have time.I'll certainly tell you how it goes!

~Anna

[Storm Moon]

It might take me a bit to get the materials but I'm definitely going to try this. It sounds interesting as -Sky- said.

[WickedBttrfly]

Do I sound like a dork when I say that I am REALLY excited about this?? LOL

[ShaDowElf]

I too am excited about this - I have been wanting to try this since I snuck a peek at the lesson in the first Crystals course.

My seven year old son is very excited about it too. I will probably have to wait until the weekend to try this, but I will post my results when I have them.

[Living Dawn]

I did it afew weeks ago, but not with a pencal or anything, just he string and stuff, and nothing grew. So I'm alittle hessatent to try this one again. But ya, I'll do it for this class. :).

[RubyRose]

Well its only a small exercise, last time I tried it, I didn't really get anything, but then, the jar did get disturbed, at one point.

[Living Dawn]

Ya, I'm thinking I didn't put enough salt in mine, last time. (Hope they did this time.) :).

[Storm Moon]

Do you have to pour a ton of salt in there or just enough to fill up the water?

[Living Dawn]

What I did, (And I think what thehy mean is), that, pour the salt into teh boiling water, and then stire it till all the salt is gone. Repeat those steps, until you can't stire the salt in anymore.

Hope this helps. :).

[RubyRose]

Okay guys... the easiest way to do this is.

Take a heat proof container, fill it with hot water, then begin to put teaspoons of sugar and salt into the water, slowly. ie. put one tea spoon in, stir until desolved, and repeat. From memory, I believe, it may have been three or four teaspoons in my concoction.

Refer to the previous Crystal Creation Discussion, further on down in this section.

Any furthur questions? Don't hesitate to ask.

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[SparkleWytch]

I'm all excited!! I just started the project right now. I will report on the progress of the crystal and how I did everything as the time progresses. I've got class today so I am doing the first part of the preparation and getting things ready. I'll let it sit for a few days and see what grows!

[RubyRose]

I'm all excited!! I just started the project right now. I will report on the progress of the crystal and how I did everything as the time progresses. I've got class today so I am doing the first part of the preparation and getting things ready. I'll let it sit for a few days and see what grows!

Okay cool

[Storm Moon]

I've went ahead and started on mine. I'll post results when they begin to grow. This sounds so cool ^_^

[RubyRose]

I've went ahead and started on mine. I'll post results when they begin to grow. This sounds so cool ^_^

Cool.

[tygherrayn]

I'm going to try to get mine started later this week .. we've bad weather moving in, so it'll be a 'stay inside and work' kind of time. I plan to keep my jar on my altar, now that it's set up.

[RubyRose]

I'm going to try to get mine started later this week .. we've bad weather moving in, so it'll be a 'stay inside and work' kind of time. I plan to keep my jar on my altar, now that it's set up.

Coolies.

[Jerusha]

I obviously broke mine since I've tried twice and couldn't get it to work.

Is it possible that I should use spring water instead of tap water? Does it make a difference?

[IshaRose]

Ok, I did the salt version, but nothing's happening. :hmmmmm:

It's been one day now, I think at least some start should be forming, no? I'm going to leave it for a few days, but I'm thinking of making another batch with sugar instead... have people had more success with that? Or did I do something wrong? :bigredblu

-IR

[faerieridingdragons]

I know I 'm not a member of this class,but after reading this lesson I thought that this site might be helpful to ya'll. growing crystals (www.aheartsease.com/html/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=69) I hope this helps. :smile:

[atropa]

I have some 6 oz baby food jars. Will they work? Or something bigger?

[RubyRose]

Jerusha & Isha Rose: crystals will take a while to form, longer than a day. Just be patient.

aerieridingdragons: thanks for the link

atropa: yes those jars should work fine.

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[Storm Moon]

I don't think I got mine hot enough, so I'm going to redo it either tonight or tomorrow. I haven't been feeling good ><

[WickedBttrfly]

Mine didn't work out so I'm gonna have to try again... prob because I didn't boil water :p And I accidentally pmed the wrong teacher about it... I'm having a bad week lol.

[ShaDowElf]

Just did mine earlier this evening - nothing showing yet - I will keep you posted as to how it goes.

BTW I used sugar because my son wants to eat any crystals that DO form :colorful: :colorful:

[RubyRose]

Just did mine earlier this evening - nothing showing yet - I will keep you posted as to how it goes.

BTW I used sugar because my son wants to eat any crystals that DO form :colorful: :colorful:

:lol: Aww. Kids are so sweet.

[tygherrayn]

I just started mine tonight, as I continue my preparations for our Mabon feast. I boiled water in my kettle and let it sit for a few minutes, then poured it into a glass measuring cup. I then added spoonfuls of salt until the water was saturated and no more would dissolve .. I think it took about 5-6 spoonfuls before this happened.

Then I took a glass jar with a lid, punched a hole in the lid, and tied a small button to the end of some cotton thread. I poured the water into the jar, then dunked the thread in until it was just above the bottom. I tied the thread around a toothpick on the other side of the lid after threading it through the hole, and have the hole thing sitting on my altar currently. There is some salt settling on the bottom currently, but I imagine that'll mix back in when I swish it a bit.

[atropa]

Well, it's been 3 or 4 days but nothing yet. Hope I did it right. I dissolved about 2 cups of sugar in about 1 1/2 cups of water.

[ShaDowElf]

Mine isn't doing anything either - I kept adding sugar - it took a LOT but no crystals have formed yet and it has been about 17 hours since I did it - I don't think it is going to work - I think I will try it again but in a small baby food jar.

[atropa]

I think I will try it again but in a small baby food jar.

I did mine in a 6 oz. baby food jar and there's like 2 cups of sugar in there. I'll wait a few more days I guess.

[RubyRose]

I did mine in a 6 oz. baby food jar and there's like 2 cups of sugar in there. I'll wait a few more days I guess.

:huh: The sugar dissolved properly right? I would have thought that 2 cups would have been too much for that size jar...

[Jerusha]

I'm going to have to try again. I obviously didn't put enough sugar in my water.

I do have some interesting mold growing though! :)

[ShaDowElf]

Nada - zilch - zero - nothin happening.

I am going to dump the two I have started - I really hate wasting that much sugar - and then I suppose I could try a salt one.

Has anyone had any luck so far this time?

[RubyRose]

Nada - zilch - zero - nothin happening.

I am going to dump the two I have started - I really hate wasting that much sugar - and then I suppose I could try a salt one.

Has anyone had any luck so far this time?

:huh: Strange.

[Amadore]

Oooh, I did this at school when I was in grade 6! If you use salt, the crystals tend to be much bigger and have sharper edges, while the sugar crystals are more like a bunch of large sugar grains stuck toegther. Or at least, this is how it turned out when I did the experiment! Also, if you tie something small and metal to the end of the string, the crystals should grow to be bigger.

[RubyRose]

Oooh, I did this at school when I was in grade 6! If you use salt, the crystals tend to be much bigger and have sharper edges, while the sugar crystals are more like a bunch of large sugar grains stuck toegther. Or at least, this is how it turned out when I did the experiment! Also, if you tie something small and metal to the end of the string, the crystals should grow to be bigger.

Hhmmm. I never thought of doing that, though it makes sense. To keep the string weighted, that is.

[SilverNightShade]

i keep meaning to try this, but i haven't had time nor do i have the supplies or the money to get a jar to hold it.

Any ideas on how to do this but without a jar?

[ShaDowElf]

It doesn't have to be a jar - you can use a glass - it just needs to be see through.

Has anyone had any success with this? Iwas meaning to go back and try it with salt but haven't yet.

[RubyRose]

It doesn't have to be a jar - you can use a glass - it just needs to be see through.

Has anyone had any success with this? Iwas meaning to go back and try it with salt but haven't yet.

There has been a little success this time round, though there was more luck last time round.

I'll have a wander around on the net and see what else I can come up with.

[Fairyelf]

I cant wait to try this..
I always wanted to do one of these but never knew exactly how to do it..
this should be interesting :kooky:

[RubyRose]

I cant wait to try this..
I always wanted to do one of these but never knew exactly how to do it..
this should be interesting :kooky:

Coolies.

[DracoJesi]

cool :) i will start tomarrow, my mom wont suspect anything when i tell her im growing crystals LOL anyways sounds fun *cant wait* oh and thanks for letteing me join the class :)

can we add food coloring :) ill do 2, one with food coloring just for kicks :)
plus i can use Color Magick that way :)

[RubyRose]

cool :) i will start tomarrow, my mom wont suspect anything when i tell her im growing crystals LOL anyways sounds fun *cant wait* oh and thanks for letteing me join the class :)

can we add food coloring :) ill do 2, one with food coloring just for kicks :)
plus i can use Color Magick that way :)

Yep you can add food colouring if you wish

[angeltek]

If I may make a suggestion, using alum will cause the crystals to have a more clear quality and you can add food coloring to make colored crystals as well.

[RubyRose]

If I may make a suggestion, using alum will cause the crystals to have a more clear quality and you can add food coloring to make colored crystals as well.

Thanks.

[Storm Moon]

Cool!