How to Grow Salt Crystals

Table Salt

• 1

  Boil about 1 c. water.

• 2

  Pour the water into a glass jar.

• 3

  Stir in the salt slowly, about a teaspoon at a time. Don't rush this step.

• 4

  Continue until the salt is no longer dissolving but is starting to collect at the bottom of the jar.

• 5

  Choose a color for your crystals and add a couple drops of food coloring.

• 6

  Tie one end of piece of a string around a pencil and tie a paper clip to the other end.

• 7

  Place the pencil over the jar so that the string hangs down and the paper clip almost touches the bottom of the jar.

• 8

  Allow jar to sit someplace where it will be undisturbed.

• 9

  Check after about 24 hours, and you'll see crystals forming in cubical shapes on the paper clip.

Epsom Salt

• 10

  Follow steps 1 through 4 above, substituting Epsom salt for table salt, and using a glass bowl instead of a jar.

• 11

  Choose a color for your crystals and put a few drops of food coloring on two charcoal briquettes.

• 12

  Place charcoal briquettes in the bottom of the bowl.

• 13

  Allow bowl to sit someplace where it will be undisturbed.

• 14

  Check after five days, and you'll see crystals growing in the shape of prisms.