ACTIVITY # 2

Crystalline Solid-State Structure

MATERIALS
 Alum powder
(tawas)  Vernier Caliper
 Thread  40 marbles
 Grease or oil  Glue Stick
 Rubber band  Glue Gun
 Filter paper
or any paper

PROCEDURE
I. Crystal Growth

1. Measure out 10 g (approx. 3/4 tablespoons) of alum and place it in a clean vessel. For
each gram of alum used, add 7 mL of water. Heat the mixture and stir it until a clear
solution is obtained. (Note: If the mixture remains cloudy, allow the mixture to stand for
a few minutes until the sediment has settled out, then carefully decant the clear solution
into another clean glass jar.) Allow the solution to cool to room temperature.

2. Tie a piece of thread to a toothpick or any stick so that when suspended in the solution
the thread will extend no more than 1 cm below the surface of the solution. Smear
grease on the part of the thread that will be above the solution to keep the solution from
creeping up the thread. Cover the top of the jar with a piece of filter paper/any paper,
and use a rubber band to hold the paper in place. Punch a hole in the center of the
paper. Lower the thread through it until the thread is submerged and the stick rests on
top of the jar. Keep the jar in a safe storage place. Crystals should have formed on the
string and/or at the bottom of the solution by the time you return for your next lab
period.

3. If crystals have formed on the string, crush off all the best one. If not, decant the liquid
from the crystal(s) at the bottom of the container into another clean container. If more
than one crystal grew, inspect them and pick one that shows good faces. Tie a fine
thread to this "seed" crystal and tie the other end to the stick.

4. Suspend the crystal in a freshly prepared solution of 10 g of alum in 70 mL of water. This

solution must be allowed to cool to room temperature before the crystal is introduced.

II. Model Building

A. Hexagonal Close Packed

1. Place 7 marbles in a hexagonal position and fasten the marbles in place using the
molten glue stick.

2. Place 3 marbles on top of the 1st layer of marbles and fasten again with molten glue
stick.
 3. Place 7 marbles again on top of the 2nd layer in a position like the first layer
and fasten with glue again.

4. Measure the length of sides (A and C) of the HCP structure using the caliper.

(Note: Six spheres surround a central sphere in the first and third. Three
spheres triangulate in the second layer between the first and third. See Figure
2A.1)

B. Face Centered Cubic

1. Place 7 marbles in a hexagonal position and fasten the marbles in place using
the molten glue stick. Place 5 marbles in a square position with 1 marble at
the center. Glue all the marbles to secure its shape.

2. Place 4 marbles on top of the 1st, then fasten it with molten glue.

3. Place 5 marbles like the 1st layer on top of the 2nd layer and fasten with molten
glue.

4. Measure the length of the side (a0) using a

caliper (Note: FCC structure should look like

Figure 2A.2)

C. Body Centered Cubic

1. Place 4 marbles in a square position.

2. Place 1 marble on top of the center the 1st layer then fasten with glue altogether.

3. Place the 3rd layer like the 1st layer with 4 marbles at each corner, secure all
marbles in place with molten glue.

4. Measure the length of the side (a0) using a

caliper. (Note: BCC structure should look like

Figure 2A.3)
Figure 2A. Model for crystalline structures (1) HCP (2) FCC (3) BCC