How to you grow a single, perfect salt crystal?

Question

I've been trying over and over and all I got was a lump of mixed up and bumpy crystals. I use the method as written in books (tie a seed crystal to a nylon thread and let it hang in the salt water). But the small perfect seed crystal turns into a lump of confusion!

Answer 1

well the idea of "seeding" the crystal is along the right lines.

research the - meta stable zone width - and use it to grow your crystal better.

dependant on your available aperatus, the salt that you are using (and if you are doing it for a science project or a practical lab or something) here would be what i would do:

1. get the purest water i can

2. heat it to 65 deg and keep it there

3. add ALOT of salt to the heated water (get a lit. value for the salt's solubility at 65 deg), put a seed crystal in (no nylon thread)

4. cool as slowly as you can say at less than 1 degree/minute

5. doing all that and waiting for the result should be a very nice crystal.

but please note, it is impossible to get a 'perfect' crystal. but doing it slowly and within the mszw should make it happen as close as it can

if all else fails try to buy one online :)

hope this helps