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Making Copper Sulfate Crystals

Almost all students grow salt or sugar crystals at some point in their education. However, older students may be trusted with more complicated tasks like growing copper sulfate crystals. This project requires you to handle potentially dangerous materials but yields large, translucent, neon blue crystals. You can use these crystals as a science fair project and display them as a windowsill decoration afterward.

Things You'll Need

Water
Old saucepan
Copper sulfate granules
Plastic slotted serving spoon
Large glass jar
Paper towels

Instructions

- 1
  Bring a cup of water to a simmer in an old saucepan. Add ½ cup of copper sulfate granules to the water and stir gently with a plastic serving spoon until the granules dissolve. Your mixture should be a cloudy sky blue color.
- 2
  Pour your mixture into a large glass jar. Set the jar in a sunny warm spot. Allow it to sit there for 24 hours.
- 3
  Check on your jar. Small, blue crystals should be forming in the bottom of the jar. They should be about the size of a sewing needle.
- 4
  Allow the crystals to grow to about ¼ inch thick and 1 inch long and scoop them from the jar with a slotted spoon. Lay them on a paper towel to dry. You may also wait for all of the liquid to evaporate to create crystal clusters.

Rocks & Minerals