Essential Question: How do salt crystals form?
Salt is made up of the elements sodium and chlorine, while water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. The bond between sodium and chlorine is weak enough that when the stronger hydrogen and oxygen combination is introduced, the sodium and chlorine bond can't maintain its integrity. The water molecules isolate the salt molecules from each other for as long as water is present. When the water evaporates, the sodium and chlorine molecules can come back together, allowing salt to grow in its naturally forming cubic crystals on any surface porous enough to allow the molecules.
Reflection:
Looking Back:
As you see the three images that I have below, my salt crystals didn't work. But I really wanted to grow some salt crystals because they looked really cool from what I saw in one of Andrew's beakers, so I didn't stop after I didn't grow some. I decided that I had to start from scratch if I really wanted them to form. I was really bummed that my salt crystals didn't work. So I tried again.
Looking Beyond:
The process of growing of crystals is called crystallization. What happens is that the molecules in the solution are trying to come together like a puzzle piece. Certain molecules in the water come together to try to become stable as the solution cools. At first atoms begin to bond together then molecules bond together forming crystals. The size of crystals depends on the rate of cooling. Fast cooling will result in a large number of small crystals and slow cooling will result in a smaller number of large crystals. The size also is effected by the movement of that the solution has when it is forming. The crystals aren't supposed to be moved around when they are forming because it would disrupt their building a break some molecule bonding action that is going on.
Looking Inward:
I did not get the desirable results for the salt crystals sadly. I believe that the salt crystals didn't work because I didn't add enough salt to the water so the water wasn't saturated enough for the crystals to grow. Although the salt crystals didn't work, I liked that I tried again.
Looking Outward:
I worked by myself for this lab and I thought it was pretty fun working by myself because I didn't have to rely on anybody. But, I would have to say that since I was only relying on myself, it was kind of hard since I was the only one that knew the information on how to grow the crystals so I feel that because of that, my crystals didn't work. I had to read the instructions more thoroughly. I tried to ask others that were around me to help me a little with the lab, but they weren't much help since they didn't really give me detailed information.
Looking Beyond:
In my view, I did this experiment two times. I really wished that the crystals would've formed the first time so I could have just had the experience from that and then I could move on. I believe that if I had done this lab with a partner it would have been much easier and funner. Since I worked alone in this project and I believe that it was a good experience of doing a lab alone. I like to do more labs by myself if I can but I also like collaborating with others for labs to. I do believe I can continue this lab by growing different types of crystals like alum crystals, borax crystals, and sugar crystals.
Takeaway:
What I took away from this lab was that I have to be patient if I want the best results. Also that I can always try the lab again if it doesn't work out and to definitely ask the teacher if others aren't being helpful. Even though I read many websites with instructions about how to do the lab, I would still need to ask other people who have done a similar lab to it in order to learn more and do it right. With this lab, I learned that asking for help would be the best thing if I really need it than just reading the instructions.
Salt is made up of the elements sodium and chlorine, while water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. The bond between sodium and chlorine is weak enough that when the stronger hydrogen and oxygen combination is introduced, the sodium and chlorine bond can't maintain its integrity. The water molecules isolate the salt molecules from each other for as long as water is present. When the water evaporates, the sodium and chlorine molecules can come back together, allowing salt to grow in its naturally forming cubic crystals on any surface porous enough to allow the molecules.
Reflection:
Looking Back:
As you see the three images that I have below, my salt crystals didn't work. But I really wanted to grow some salt crystals because they looked really cool from what I saw in one of Andrew's beakers, so I didn't stop after I didn't grow some. I decided that I had to start from scratch if I really wanted them to form. I was really bummed that my salt crystals didn't work. So I tried again.
Looking Beyond:
The process of growing of crystals is called crystallization. What happens is that the molecules in the solution are trying to come together like a puzzle piece. Certain molecules in the water come together to try to become stable as the solution cools. At first atoms begin to bond together then molecules bond together forming crystals. The size of crystals depends on the rate of cooling. Fast cooling will result in a large number of small crystals and slow cooling will result in a smaller number of large crystals. The size also is effected by the movement of that the solution has when it is forming. The crystals aren't supposed to be moved around when they are forming because it would disrupt their building a break some molecule bonding action that is going on.
Looking Inward:
I did not get the desirable results for the salt crystals sadly. I believe that the salt crystals didn't work because I didn't add enough salt to the water so the water wasn't saturated enough for the crystals to grow. Although the salt crystals didn't work, I liked that I tried again.
Looking Outward:
I worked by myself for this lab and I thought it was pretty fun working by myself because I didn't have to rely on anybody. But, I would have to say that since I was only relying on myself, it was kind of hard since I was the only one that knew the information on how to grow the crystals so I feel that because of that, my crystals didn't work. I had to read the instructions more thoroughly. I tried to ask others that were around me to help me a little with the lab, but they weren't much help since they didn't really give me detailed information.
Looking Beyond:
In my view, I did this experiment two times. I really wished that the crystals would've formed the first time so I could have just had the experience from that and then I could move on. I believe that if I had done this lab with a partner it would have been much easier and funner. Since I worked alone in this project and I believe that it was a good experience of doing a lab alone. I like to do more labs by myself if I can but I also like collaborating with others for labs to. I do believe I can continue this lab by growing different types of crystals like alum crystals, borax crystals, and sugar crystals.
Takeaway:
What I took away from this lab was that I have to be patient if I want the best results. Also that I can always try the lab again if it doesn't work out and to definitely ask the teacher if others aren't being helpful. Even though I read many websites with instructions about how to do the lab, I would still need to ask other people who have done a similar lab to it in order to learn more and do it right. With this lab, I learned that asking for help would be the best thing if I really need it than just reading the instructions.