CHEMISTRY

PROJECT
REPORT
ON
GROWING
CRYSTALS
NAME- SUHANI
SABHARWAL
GRADE – XI SCIENCE
Mount Litera Zee School, Naroli
CBSE Affiliation No. 3030007
Academic Year- 2O2O-2O21
 MOUNT LITERA ZEE SCHOOL, NAROLI
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that SUHANI SABHARWAL, a student of class 11

(SCIENCE) has successfully completed the research on the below
mentioned project under the guidance of Ms. Soney Khan during the
year 2020-21 in partial fulfillment of Chemistry practical
examination.

Signature of Principal

Signature of Signature of
External examiner Subject teacher
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my chemistry

mentor Ms. Soney Khan , for her vital support, guidance and
encouragement - without which this project would not have come
forth.
 CONTENTS

1. Certificate
2.Acknowledgement
3. Introduction
4.Theory
5. Activity
5.1 Aim
5.2 Materials required
5.3 Procedure
5.4 Result
5.5 Precautions
5.6 Conclusion
6. Bibliography
 INTRODUCTION

Crystallization is the process by which a solid forms, where

the atoms or molecules are highly organized into
a structure known as a crystal.
Crystals often form in
nature when liquids cool
and start to harden.
Certain molecules in the
liquid gather together
as they attempt to
become stable.
A crystal is made up of atoms of the same element or atoms
of different elements and the atoms have a regular,
repeating arrangement. Crystals are very ordered, the
arrangement of a certain crystal is always the same.
Water of hydration are water molecules that are present
inside crystals. Water is often incorporated in the formation
of crystals from aqueous solutions.
In some contexts, water of crystallization is the total mass of
water in a substance at a given temperature and is mostly
present in a definite (stoichiometric) ratio.
Classically, "water of crystallization" refers to water that is
found in the crystalline framework of a metal complex or
a salt, which is not directly bonded to the metal cation.
 Crystal was 1st
discovered by

The German
mathematician,
astronomer and astrologer
Johannes Kepler (1571-
1630) marvelled when a
snowflake landed on his
coat showing its perfect
six-cornered symmetry.
In 1611 Kepler wrote ”Six-
cornered Snowflake” (Latin
title ”Strena Seu de Nive
Sexangula”) the first
mathematical description
of crystals.
COPPER(II) SULFATE PENTAHYDRATE
Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate is an odourless blue crystal
that readily dissolves in water. It is also soluble in
methanol, glycerol and slightly soluble in ethanol. Copper
Sulfate, sometimes referred to as Blue Vitriol or Bluestone,
is a readily available and economic source of copper.
Crystals of hydrated copper(II)
sulfate consist of
[Cu(H2O)4]2+ centers linked to
SO42− ions. Copper is surrounded by
six oxygen atoms, provided by two
different sulfate groups and four
molecules of water. A fifth water
resides elsewhere in the framework
but does not bind directly to copper.

BORAX, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate,

or disodium tetraborate, is a compound with
formula Na2H4B4O9•nH2O.
It is
colorless crystalline solid
that dissolves in water.
Borax is a component of
many detergents, cosmeti
cs, and enamel glazes. It
is used to make buffer
solutions in biochemistry,
as a fire retardant and as
an anti-fungal compound.
ALUM
An alum is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated
double sulfate salt of aluminium with the general formula XAl
₂·12H ₂O, where X is a monovalent cation such as potassium or
ammonium. By itself, "alum" often refers to potassium alum, with
the formula KAl ₂·12H ₂O.
Uses of Alum
• purification of drinking water as a chemical flocculant.
• in styptic pencil to stop bleeding from minor cuts.
• the adjuvant in vaccines ( a chemical that enhances the
immune response)
• deodorant "rock"
• pickling agent to help keep pickles crisp.
• flame retardant.
• the acidic component of some types of baking powder and
more.
 THEORY
Crystals grow when the solution becomes supersaturated,
meaning that there is too much salt dissolved in the water. The
extra salt takes the form of crystals. To get a supersaturated
solution you can either cool down the solution or let some of
the water evaporate. Crystals can be grown in one of three
major ways: from a vapor, from a solution or from melt.
Beginning with vapor deposition.
Crystals can be grown from a vapour when the molecules of
the gas attach themselves to a surface and move into the
crystal arrangement. Several important conditions must be met
for this to occur. At constant temperature
and equilibrium conditions, the average number of molecules
in the gas and solid states is constant; molecules leave the gas
and attach to the surface at the same rate that they leave the
surface to become gas molecules.
For crystals to grow, the gas-solid
chemical system must be in a
nonequilibrium state such that
there are too many gaseous
molecules for the conditions of
pressure and temperature. This
state is called supersaturation.
Molecules are more prone to leave
the gas than to rejoin it, so they
become deposited on the surface of
the container. Supersaturation can
be induced by maintaining the
crystal at a lower temperature than
the gas.
A critical stage in the growth of a
crystal is seeding, in which a small
piece of crystal of the proper
structure and orientation, called a
seed, is introduced into the
container. The gas molecules find
the seed a more favourable surface
than the walls and preferentially
deposit there.
Once the molecule is on the surface
of the seed, it wanders around this
surface to find the preferred site for
attachment. Growth proceeds one
molecule at a time and one layer at
a time. The process is slow; it takes
days to grow a small crystal. The
advantage of vapour growth is that
very pure crystals can be grown by
this method, while the disadvantage
is that it is slow.
 GROWTH FROM SOLUTION
Large single crystals may be grown from solution. In this
technique the seed crystal is immersed in a solvent that
contains typically about 10–30 percent of the desired solute.
The choice of solvent usually
depends on the solubility of the
solute. The temperature and pH
(a measure of acidity or basicity)
of the solution must be well
controlled. The method is faster
than vapour growth, because
there is a higher concentration of
molecules at the surface in a
liquid as compared to a gas, but
it is still relatively slow.

GROWTH FROM THE MELT

This method is the most basic. A gas is cooled until it becomes
a liquid, which is then cooled further until it becomes
a solid. Polycrystalline solids are typically produced by this
method unless special techniques are employed. In any case,
the temperature must be controlled carefully.

Solubility Of Compound Used In Water

Compound Name Solubility in water

Alum 14.00 g/100 mL (20 °C) 36.80 g/100 mL (50 °C)

Copper(II) Sulfate Pentahydrate 1.055 molal (10 °C) 1.26 molal (20 °C) 1.502 molal (30
°C)

Borax 31.7 g/L (both)

 ACTIVITY-1
AIM
To grow crystals using solution technique.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Distilled water
• Saucers
• Pan for boiling water
• Stirring spoon
• Alum
• Beaker
• Stick/ pencil
• Paper towel
• Thread
PROCEDURE
1.In one beaker, slowly add alum to of very hot distilled water,
stirring to dissolve. Keep adding the alum until no more will
dissolve: this is a saturated solution. Pour a little bit of this
solution into a shallow dish or saucer and let it sit undisturbed
overnight. Make sure you only pour the clear solution, not any
of the undissolved material.
2.The next day you should see small crystals growing in the
dish. When they look to be a good size, carefully pour off the
solution.
3.Make another saturated alum solution with about 1/2 cup of
hot water. Pour the solution into a clean beaker or jar; avoid
pouring any undissolved material.
4.Remove the biggest and best-looking of the small crystals
from the saucer to use as your seed crystal.
 5. Get someone to help you tie
the thread to the seed crystal.
Tie the other end of the thread to
a pencil/ stick, then set the pencil
across the top of the jar so the
seed crystal is suspended in the
alum solution without touching
the sides or bottom of the jar.
6. If your seed crystal starts to
dissolve, that means your
solution isn’t saturated enough.
7. Remove the seed quickly and
add more alum to the solution,
filtering off any undissolved
particles.
8. Cover the jar with a paper
THE SEED towel to keep out the dust and let
your crystal grow for 2-3 days or
longer.

RESULT
The crystals have grown around
the seed.

CONCLUSION:
To grow crystals you must start
with a saturated solution. As the
crystals form the atoms have a
certain arrangement that they
will settle into.. By using a seed
crystal you can grow quite large
crystals as the solution becomes
supersaturated.

THE CRYSTALS FORMED

 ACTIVITY-2

AIM
To grow crystals using solution technique without the seed.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Boiling Distilled water
• Stirring spoon
• Cupric Sulfate(CuSO4)
• 2 Glass Container(big and small)
• Stick/ pencil
• Paper towel
• Thick Thread
PROCEDURE
1.In the bigger glass container, slowly add CuSO4 to very hot
distilled water, stirring to dissolve. Keep adding the CuSO4 until
no more will dissolve: this is a supersaturated solution.
2. Tie a more an average knot on the thread.
Tie the other end of the thread to a pencil/ stick, then set the
pencil across the top of the smaller container, so the knot is
suspended in the solution CuSO4 .
3. Pour the solution from the bigger container if necessary.
4.Cover the container with a paper towel to keep out the dust
and let your crystal grow for 2-3 days or longer.
THE SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION

RESULT
The crystals have grown around
THE BOTTOM the knot and the bottom of
container
CONCLUSION:
By growing crystals with a knot, the
crystals tend to growth more at the
bottom and not as much on the
knot

THE KNOTTED THREAD

 ACTIVITY-3
AIM
To grow crystals using melt technique but
with the solution of compound.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Boiling Distilled water
• Stirring spoon
• Borax
• Glass Container
PROCEDURE
1.In the bigger glass container, slowly add
borax to very hot distilled water, stirring to
dissolve. Keep adding the borax until no
more will dissolve: this is a supersaturated
solution.
2.Let the solution sit for 2-3 days or longer.
RESULT
The water from the solution has been
evaporated and only large borax crystals are remaining at the
bottom of the container.
CONCLUSION:
This technique can only be
successful if the solution is
supersaturated. It is a quicker
way of getting larger crystals.

THE CRYSTALS AT THE BOTTOM OF

CONTAINER
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Content via
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystallization
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_growth
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper(II)_sulfate
4. https://www.xtal.iqfr.csic.es
5. https://www.britannica.com/science/crystal
6. https://www.seminarsonly.com/Engineering-
Projects/Chemistry/growing-crystals.php

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