Growing Crystals
Energy and Change- Grade:
- 5
- Teacher:
- Chloe Perdreauville
This project tested how temperature affects the way borax crystals grow. Crystals form when a liquid that has dissolved a powder, like borax, cools down and the tiny particles stick together in a repeating pattern. The goal was to find out which temperature would grow the biggest and clearest crystals. Three jars of hot borax solution were prepared. Each jar was placed in a different location: one in an ice bath, one in a refrigerator, and one at room temperature. The jars were left undisturbed for several hours so crystals could grow on strings hanging in each jar. The time it took for crystals to form was recorded, and the size and clarity of the crystals were compared. The ice bath crystals formed the fastest, but they were small and cloudy. The refrigerator crystals were medium-sized and somewhat clear. The room temperature crystals took the longest to grow, but they were the largest and clearest. This project shows that when crystals cool slowly, they grow larger and clearer. Temperature makes a big difference in how crystals form.
Very clear and specific question about temperature and crystal growth (page 2). Strong scientific reasoning in the hypothesis. The research nd background were very well explained for Grade 5. Your explanation of why slow cooling makes bigger crystals was very clear and easy to understand. You showed strong scientific thinking. I was very impressed that you did three trials and recorded detailed data each time. That makes your results very reliable. Your future research ideas show real curiosity. Asking new questions is what real scientists do.