Grow Crystals at Home

Crystals grow deep beneath the earth but in this activity, we are going to grow crystals at home.

Crystals are solid substances whose atoms and molecules are highly arranged or ordered.

They can have flat surfaces and colours and look beautiful. They are formed where the earth's mantle meets the crust. Mantle has magma or superheated molten lava. As it meets the crust, some magma cools down as they get settled in crevices and cracks. This cooling results in the formation of crystals.

What you will need

1. Monoammonium Phosphate

2. Colour Seeding Mixture: White/Clear seeding mixture: Aluminium Potassium Sulphate Blue: Aluminium Potassium Sulphate, Sodium Chloride & Brilliant Blue Food Colour Red: Aluminium Potassium Sulphate & Amaranth

3. Water

4. Jar

5. Spoon

OR just buy this kit or any other crystal-growing kits

What you need to do

1. Heat water to 100 degrees Celcius

2. Pour it into the jar

3. Pour the entire contents of Monoammonium Phosphate that came with the kit

4. Stir well till it dissolves and becomes clear. Set aside till temperature drops to around 40 degrees

5. Sprinkle 4 spoons (the spoon comes with the kit ) with the seeding mixture of your choice.

6. Leave undisturbed for around 7-10 days

Here is the result.

What is happening here?

Just like crystals form with the cooling of hot molten lava beneath the earth's surface, we have mimicked that by colling of hot water. The Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) quantity is such that it fully dissolves in the water and makes it saturated, meaning no more quantity can dissolve in the amount of water. Now as the water cools, some of the water evaporates. The particles of MAP have nowhere to go and they stick to each other, and form crystals.

Diamonds 💎 Ruby ♦️ Emerald and Sapphire are some of the most beautiful and rare crystals mined from underneath the earth's surface. No wonder they are expensive.

Get the things you need to try this at home

Just buy this kit or any other crystal-growing kits