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0 pointsdylan6044y ago0 comments

Did this as a kid as well. When I got to high school chemistry, we did an experiment on super saturation of the sugar. Much better results, much faster!

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6 comments · 2 top-level

sumtechguy4y ago· 2 in thread

hehe I did that super saturation thing as a kid. one of the instructions was pour until saturation happens. It didnt. I ended up with 5 pounds of rock candy.

dylan604OP4y ago

Did you do the version where you let the super saturated solution cool down slowly, and then drop a single grain of sugar into it?

sumtechguy4y ago

That was the plan. But never got to the 'super saturation' point where it would no longer melt in. Knowing what I know now I figure the temp was too high. Least I got an A as I had pounds of crystals. We added flavoring and coloring to some of it and gave most of it away.

dekhn4y ago· 2 in thread

When I wanted crystals for microscopy, I made a mother liquor by pouring an enormous amount of sugar in a tiny amount of water (beyond saturation) and then just let the solvent evaporate in a heated chamber.

Made big rocks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_liquor

dylan604OP4y ago

Never heard that term before. Not sure I understand the point though. After you supersaturate and then form crystals, the mother liquor is just the left over content that didn't make it into the crystals. What is the purpose of using those remnants?

dekhn4y ago

mainly to get more crystals and as a growth medium for existing crystals.

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