How can I grow crystals

asks Sporty:
A. Crystals are easy to grow. Once you've mastered the technique, you can grow all sorts of shapes and colours.

The method's the same whatever you grow crystals from. Here's how to make crystals from alum:

• Pour 600ml of cold water into a pan. Add 100g of alum powder and heat gently to dissolve the powder, stirring all the time. Keep adding alum powder until no more will dissolve.
• Leave to cool. Pour a little into a small dish and place in a cool area. Put the rest of the mixture in a jar. Stir an extra tablespoon of alum powder into the jar to create a saturated solution, then cover with a cloth.
• It takes a few days for seed crystals to start to grow in the saucer. Wait until the solution has totally evaporated and pick out the biggest seed crystal.
• Tie a long thread around it and wind the other end around a pencil. Hang the seed crystal in the jar, and move it to a warmer location.
• Leave your crystal for a couple of weeks until it stops growing, then remove it.

Q. Where can I buy alum powder
A. From a pharmacy.

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Q. What if seed crystals don't form in the dish
A. Just hang a piece of thread in the jar and seed crystals will grow on it. Then you can select the biggest one and hang it in the jar as described above.

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Q. What if the crystal doesn't grow in the solution
A. The solution may not be saturated. Take the crystal out and heat up the solution and add more alum.

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Q. What else can I use to grow crystals
A. Other things which you could use include: sugar, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate and iodine. The same method works for all of them.

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By Sheena Miller