Hobbies And Interests
Making Your Own Rocks
Rocks can be made at home using cement, gravel, water and peat. While making the rocks, experiment with different mix ratios to create different strengths and types of rocks. Divide a bag of cement into several different buckets or large containers. Add varying amounts of water, gravel and peat. Document the mix ration you used for each container, then pour or pack the cement into empty plastic bottles to allow it to set. Once it sets, remove the rocks from the bottles and test the different properties of your homemade rocks.
Experiments
Test the properties of the rocks you created to understand more about the properties of rocks made in the earth. Place the rocks on a flat surface outdoors, and hit them with a hammer to see how strong they are. Wear safety goggles to prevent debris from getting in your eyes. The rocks made with more water break easier than the rocks made with less. Break open a rock with large amounts of gravel and observe the distribution of the gravel in the cement. Compare this distribution to how sedimentary rocks are formed and distributed.
Aquarium Rock Experiments
Rocks can also be made for aquariums using Portland cement and play sand. Portland cement is composed of calcium silicates, which make it ideal for aquarium use. Students first wash the play sand so it produces strong rocks. Using rubber gloves, they mix the Portland cement with the play sand at a 1:4 ratio. This produces a paste-like material in texture. Pour the mixture into differently-shaped molds and allow them to set for 24 hours. The students can experiment with different sand-to-cement ratios, and see which mixture is the best for forming the most solid rocks.
Rock Candy Experiments
Crystallizing sugar on a string or wooden skewer can help students learn about the crystal process that forms rocks and minerals. Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in boiling water. Transfer the sugar water mixture into a jar with a lid. Insert the skewer or string, through the lid into the water solution, so it is suspended in the jar without touching the sides. Children can observe how crystals form on the skewer or string for five to seven days. They can also experiment by adding different quantities of sugar and observing how that effects crystal growth.