Hands-on learning awaits...
Rock Candy is not only fun to make, but it also teaches us about solutions, which are solids dissolved in liquids. In this Kaleideum at Home video, you will learn how to make a supersaturated sugar solution and watch as simple sugar grows into beautiful crystals that you can eat!
For this experiment, you will need: ·
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • Microwave-safe measuring cups
  • Glass jar
  • Spoon for stirring
  • Wood skewer
  • Clothespin
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • Patience 🙂

A supersaturated sugar solution is a solution that can only hold a substance — in this case sugar — when it is hot. Once the solution cools to room temperature, the sugar will start to separate from the liquid. In the video, you will find out how to add a wood skewer with nuclei, or seed crystals, to the solution to allow giant sugar crystals to form. This experiment takes a minimum of a week, so patience will be a priority. But as the time passes, you can watch the water evaporate out of the glass and the individual sugar crystals start to collect on the skewer. The beautiful crystals that form on the skewer are giant versions of what an individual sugar crystal looks like!

Take pictures of your rock candy, tag us on Facebook and instagram, and let us know how it goes!

 

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