Science Sugar Crystals

Yesterday in science we had to get into groups of three and we had to make some sugar crystals. The sugar crystals were made out of sugar and water.

Method: 1. Pour approximately 50 mL of water into a 250 mL beaker.

              2. Pour 250g of sugar into a beaker.

              3. Light the Bunsen Burner with the beaker on top of the Tripod.

              4. Once the water starts to boil turn off the Bunsen Burner and pour a little bit of sugar into                        the beaker and start mixing with a stirring rod.

              5. Once the first lot of sugar has dissolved then put a little bit more sugar in and keep doing it                      until all of the sugar is dissolved and you have no more. 

              6. Pour the syrup into cups for each person and than put a popsicle stick inside of the cup and                    then sit it some where that it can set. 

Equipment: 2x 250 mL beakers, A pencil or stick, A stirring rod, Bunsen Burner, Heat Mat, Tripod and a gauze mat.

I learnt that if you have to much water and not enough sugar than it will stay as a liquid and if you have to much sugar and not enough water than ti will be a really thick mixture and it wont set. I also learnt that if you put to much sugar in at once than it will take forever to dissolve and it might not work how it is meant to. And also that making crystals can separate a solid from liquid. A highly concentrated solution was needed (Saturated Solution) to be able to grow crystals.

It has now been five days since we made the sugar syrup and put it into the cups. For the first few day it was still a liquid with little tiny crystals floating around but in the last two day it really started to form around the stick and the cup. Here is what it looks like when it is finished.

Feel free to ask any questions about this experiment.