DIY borax crystals! (And the science behind them!)

[@kayperrault]

This worked thanks - but how do I clean up my glass beakers from the crystals?

[@DestructiveCreativity]

You can always add warm water and re-dissolove the crystals. Just don't put in boiling water directly into the beaker, gradually raise the temperature, otherwise it might break the glass.

[@Voodoo_IC0N]

My ten year old chose to do her report/experiment on crystals. She grew Borax crystals to demonstrate time and temperature effects on crystals growth. We came across a surprise. We created a vat of supersaturated liquid. We divided it into 4 glasses. 1 glass placed on a counter in sun light, 1 glass placed in darkness, 1 glass with a fan blowing on it and 1 glass in an insulated lunchbox. 3 grew as expected. The 1 in the lunchbox hardly grew at all, until.... we pulled it out once it hit ambient temperature (75°). We noted the lack of growth and taken pictures. After 5 minutes we noticed crystals rapidly forming on the sides of the glass. At 10 minutes crystals formed completely around the glass and was warmer than when pulled out. Exothermic reaction. It jumped up 15°. Our hypothesis was that slowing the cooling on that particular glass would allow for larger crystal growth. But the rapid growth with exothermic reaction shocked us!

[@DestructiveCreativity]

That's awesome! I will have to try and replicate your result! I'll try and remember to let you know how it works.

[@Voodoo_IC0N]

@@DestructiveCreativity Our regret is that we didn't let that grow further. Because we were working on a time line, we dumped the solution and collected the, snow like, crystal borax to end the experiment. We would like to know if the Crystal's would have formed bigger. The solution we rapidly cooled seemed to have larger crystals than the ones that cooled without help.

[@Max_Chooch]

Typically, slow cooling leads to larger crystal formation and cold-crashing the solution produces smaller, snow like precipitation. Ever seen spontaneous phase shifting? Kno3 has a very high solubility in warm water but a rather poor soluin cold water, so, if you Supersaturate kno3 in distilled water and place it in the oven at about 150°F. When its warm enough and when enough water has evaporated, the solution will flash between there being enough liquid to dissolve the kno3 at that temperature and not enough and it will spontaneously flash between crystallized and liquid. Here's a video I took while purifying kno3. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fp3Fq5-tfNtgjtEsi=UzVmO9neOzTt5ltM

[@StinkyFacePal]

I wonder if you could replicate with the same specific glass. If it didn't have a nucleation site (a pipe cleaner, or even a scratch inside the glass), the borax may not fall out of solution as readily.

[@StinkyFacePal]

Oh dang. I just realized how long ago this was posted lol. I came across this video after seeing someone make crystalline cicadas with borax

[@johnathonmcalister6645]

This is pretty old, but just came up as a suggested video. I just wanted to note that adding food color to the solution is a tough way to color crystals, as crystallization is a technique for purifying substances. This is why you end up with pastel colors. Copper sulfate can be used to create deep blue crystals.

[@DestructiveCreativity]

I love seeing the crystal structures of different solutions! Do you have a favourite experiment? Let me know!

[@miniscenesgb]

wow great results. And so well explained. I wish they'd made science this much fun when I was a kid lol. Gonna try this

[@DestructiveCreativity]

Thanks! We try to make it fun. :) thanks for watching!

[@ShirleyLuStudio]

How long the crystal lasts? Will it break down, melt etc due to the moisture in the air or hot and cold in temperatures during storage in the attic?

[@ShylaaKaushik-y7k]

🌟 Your crystal-making skills are pure magic! Watching those delicate structures form is like witnessing a tiny universe unfold. Keep sharing your creative experiments-it’s inspiring! ✨🔮

[@johnfox2483]

will more dye help? during crystallisation it's assumed, that only pure substance crystallize. Use copper sulfate instead. or create copper-borax first.

[@Peleski]

Can you re-immerse to get bigger crystals, and maybe change the dye colour to something diff?

[@jessie7682]

Im not kidding my teacher put this vid up for a science experiment thing

[@DestructiveCreativity]

That is so cool to hear!

[@baedric._.7721]

Did you get to actually do it or did your teach just gyp you by putting this on

[@evelynd.varsovia5450]

Thank you for your great explanation about the science behind the formation of crystals using borax.

[@dollihombs4497]

Do I have to use a glass container? Or will a pot or plastic container be ok?

[@deanbrown9847]

I love watching your cool videos 😁😁😎

[@LeahMoir]

Pretty cool! I will try to make one.

[@izzy_fiZZyy]

I'm going to try this for my science experiment for school!

[@mariamrammal8079]

Hiya nice work please I will like to ask , if I am to reuse the solution already used to build a crystal, do I boil the solution again before putting my pipe cleaner for another form?

[@DestructiveCreativity]

Yes, add a bit of water and warm it up!

[@mariamrammal8079]

@@DestructiveCreativity thank you so much for the reply 😁

[@mariamrammal8079]

@@DestructiveCreativity please 🙏 another question, how do I make my base to be flat?

[@DestructiveCreativity]

I'm not sure I understand, the base of the crystals? Or the container?

[@mariamrammal8079]

@@DestructiveCreativity thank you so much for your reply. I meant to say the base of the crystal 😁.

[@Trisha-2023]

My granddaughter and I are going to have a try at this, but Im worried how to dispose of the liquid which is left over. Is it toxic or can it be washed away in the sink safely? Have to think of the environment these days.

[@Peleski]

I think check the disposal recommendation on the product packet

[@jeremycalnan4180]

Did jall leave space for eue copper

[@BeerAdventureDiaries]

I wonder if a thermos for say...soup would work better. Also I wonder if you can double dunk it. Say you start your shape one colour, could you finish that batch then change it to a second batch colours or would the new heat mess up your crystals?

[@wolflahti412]

Would fabric dye work in lieu of food coloring?

[@aviastanton2547]

I’m hoping to do this with my 10th grade class and I’m wondering if you need to suspend something for the crystals to grow around or will they just form on the bottom of a beaker? Hope you see this! Love your video!

[@DestructiveCreativity]

They will most certainly grow on the bottom of the beaker. But, (speaking from experience) after the crystals grow on the bottom of the beaker, any attempts to remove the crystals usually end up breaking the beaker.

[@trxppy_happy_9362]

The only reason I remember this is because my 5th grade science teacher had us do this experiment i loved it!

[@musiccreations3131]

dose we use any other item with that one stick

[@jeremycalnan4180]

Is that distilled water.,.would that. BE better

[@MrMadartist]

How do you get the stuff clear?

[@sierram6632]

What other things can you use as a seed? Is there any type of material you can’t use as a seed? Like copper? Curious because of any chemical reactions that may occur! Thanks for the great video!

[@tw0crows74]

I've watched a few vids and they've mostly used pipe cleaners but I'd like to know if I can use other materials too for some crafting ideas I've got

[@Kr0n1kTh3Kl0wn]

Anything with lots of surface area, porous (non smooth) objects work better.

[@razben-yair1685]

This is sick! Could you make a video on salt crystals🤔

[@pistachio85]

That looks so cool. 😮

[@carlkolchack3012]

Ok this guy is amazing ! Ty

[@loveyourselfplease6842]

I understand this post is a year old but I'm hoping you see this question. My son was recently very sick & had to miss about a week of school, while home I wanted to keep his brain working & spirits high so I ordered everything to make spooky borax crystal skeleton hands for Halloween. His skeleton hand turned out amazing & he brought it to his science teacher as a gift. We had one more skeleton hand so I reheated the water, added more borax & put the second skeleton hand in then I kind of forgot about it for a couple days. I knew the crystals would be a bit larger simply because of the higher saturation of borax & it delivered big beautiful crystals. It got me wondering can I add that hand back into an even more saturated solution & grow more crystals on it. I believe I can as long as I let the water cool before putting the crystals back in, is this true or am I only dreaming of a super crazy clustery skeleton hand?

[@DestructiveCreativity]

There is therotically no limit on how big the crystals can grow. :) Just always ensure that the solution you emerse the hand in is fully saturated. Otherwise the crystals will dissolve back into solution. Thanks for sharing, I hope he is feeling better. :)

[@careyjamesmajeski3203]

Cool bro. Good luck with your channel.

[@serbera6060]

what color You use in experiment?

[@CelestialPopCollectiveOfficial]

So what you meant was for every 3/4 cup of borax use 2 cups of water, ya?

[@GodsWordMadeSimple]

Another awesome video, thank you my friend! I will look forward to doing this one for sure. I will say the sober side of me says yes always clean stuff, however they left over side of me says hey for getting to clean stuff is how some of the greatest inventions of all time have happened. Of course the statistics we don't hear is how many people died from not doing that so there's that haha! Great video keep it up!

[@PaulGriffin-ox1gp]

Borax is a bit on the alkaline side and can cause a chemical burn just the same as acids can.

[@megannea.1247]

That's cool! Any idea why the color pooled in the middle of your crystal? I'd like to avoid that...

[@eyesopen2995]

IMeganne A, think it was actually the colour of the pipe cleaner, which was a dark blue to start with. You may have already found that out of course.

[@clarks58]

Dude! Cool! Yea,I’m old lol still going to do though. You know us men,we never grow up,we merely age.

[@robertdarling2071]

A nice video, but your measured solution wasn’t super saturated. At 157 grams per 400 ml, it was close to saturation, but not supersaturated. While cooling, it reached saturation, and if the borax failed to nucleate on the pipe cleaner, then, and only then, could it be considered super saturated. Once nucleation of crystals began, the crystals grow from a saturated solution.

[@johanjotun1647]

Has anyone attempted to facet these crystals into Gems?

[@mema14dab]

I LOVE YOU🤩😍🥰👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@DestructiveCreativity]

Thanks! We are having a blast making videos for you. :)

[@deanbrown9847]

VERY Cool 😎😎😎🆒👍🔫☝️😲😮😱

[@deanbrown9847]

I know 👍

[@rushky1167]

Why do you need 160 g of borax, Where do you get that number or What math did you do?

[@jonhohensee3258]

Tin foil???

[@beth4380]

Ha your jokes are so corny and funny!! ❤️❤️

[@jeremycalnan4180]

Yup insulating

[@Bozemanjustin]

Interesting, you should put it into a hot water bath. That way it would cool down very slow.

[@MR-ub6sq]

Why specifically BORAX crystal? If you really want blue... CuSO4

[@sterling8298]

This didn't work for me.

[@jsmythib]

The crystals themselves are just periodic patterns. The dye can only wedge itself into the imperfections :) I think. Maybe. KZbin university :)

[@docsawbones3249]

when the phones go off the world id done

[@ManMountainManX]

TY. /

[@jeremycalnan4180]

Haha....the fire depo will hippo that up

[@ashleyloveparanormal3624]

Not as bad as salt

[@jeremycalnan4180]

Well,...4what...."#because your a graduate#"

[@StudioRevoct]

Dr Neo Cortex wants to know your location

[@deanbrown9847]

Could you go blind if get it in your eyes 👀🤔🤔🤔

[@lincolnflynn6876]

You can use borax for so much random shit lol.

[@haze541bsn]

Supernatural season 7 lol

[@jeremycalnan4180]

Lol...

[@MrPlanche29]

No, BORING !

[@deanbrown9847]

It's not boring 😢😢😢🎉

[@timhofstetter5654]

Where is the science? There is no science here. You might want to revisit the definition of science.

[@loveyourselfplease6842]

I understand this post is a year old but I'm hoping you see this question. My son was recently very sick & had to miss about a week of school, while home I wanted to keep his brain working & spirits high so I ordered everything to make spooky borax crystal skeleton hands for Halloween. His skeleton hand turned out amazing & he brought it to his science teacher as a gift. We had one more skeleton hand so I reheated the water, added more borax & put the second skeleton hand in then I kind of forgot about it for a couple days. I knew the crystals would be a bit larger simply because of the higher saturation of borax & it delivered big beautiful crystals. It got me wondering can I add that hand back into an even more saturated solution & grow more crystals on it. I believe I can as long as I let the water cool before putting the crystals back in, is this true or am I only dreaming of a super crazy clustery skeleton hand?