Challenger Center: Garriott Science Challenge

Growing Salt and Sugar Crystals

When a solid, like table salt or sugar, is dissolved in a liquid, like water, until no more of the solid can dissolve, the resulting solution is said to be saturated. If a saturated solution is left to evaporate, the dissolved solid will settle out of the solution and form crystals. The shape, size and amount of time it takes for crystals to form depends on the type of solid used, rough surfaces available for the crystals to begin forming on (like a string), and gravity.

Richard Garriott will do an experiment that will show how crystals of sugar and salt form in microgravity in space. He will have a container with a sugar solution and a container with a salt solution. Each container will have a string down the center to provide a surface on which crystals can form. The containers will be placed in a stable, undisturbed location. The crystals will be video taped as they form.

Essential Questions

How can a solution consisting of a liquid and a dissolved solid best form crystals of the dissolved solid?
Does gravity effect the size and shape of growing crystals?

What will happen when crystals are grown in space?

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