This experiment allows you to grow a crystal out of solution by submerging it in a saturated solution. To grow crystals using submersion, you will need: distilled water, washing soda (sodium carbonate), a glass jar, string, a pencil, a pot for boiling, and a spoon.Distilled water has fewer impurities in it and is better for crystal formation.
Call the store to ask if they have washing soda. Some large chains do not carry it, but neighborhood stores often do. It was a common washing detergent in the early 20th century and it is gaining a following for being environmentally-friendly now.The pencil needs to be long enough to lay across the top of the jar.
 Add enough distilled water to fill your glass jar about ¾ full to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add a tablespoon of sodium carbonate to the water and stir until it dissolves. Continue adding sodium carbonate, a tablespoon at a time, until no more sodium carbonate dissolves. Stir continuously as you add.Once you start to see the sodium carbonate sink to the bottom of the pot and not dissolve, you have made a saturated solution.
Adult supervision is recommended while working with the stove and boiling water.
If you want to make more crystals, make more solution to add to multiple jars.
 Once the solution has cooled down, pour it into your jar filling it about ¾ of the way full. Be sure to let the solution cool to room temperature before adding it to the jar.


If you’re growing multiple crystals, fill multiple jars ¾ full.
 The string will serve as the nucleation site of the crystal. The nucleation site is where the crystal begins to form.Leave a tail of string long enough to hang just above the bottom of the jar. Place the pencil across the top of the jar and drop the string into the saturated washing soda solution.


You can also use pipe cleaners instead of string for this step. Form them into a shape such as a star or a heart and the crystals will grow around the shape of the pipe cleaners., Cover the jar with plastic wrap and place it somewhere no one will touch it. A windowsill is a good place because it is unlikely to be bumped like a table might be. After a few hours, you should see crystals beginning to form on the string.The longer you let the solution sit, the larger the crystals will grow.
 When you are satisfied with the growth of your crystals, lift the pencil to remove the crystal/string from the jar. Now that you have made your very own crystals, you can grow them whenever you want.


Add food coloring to the water to change the color of your crystals.
Gather the necessary materials.
Make a saturated sodium carbonate solution.
Add the saturated solution to the glass jar.
Tie the string around the pencil.
Let sit undisturbed for at least five hours.
Remove the string from the solution.
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