by Chuck Hoodak

Created on: July 18, 2008   Last Updated: June 28, 2011

Growing sugar crystals can be a fun project to do with younger kids on a rainy day, or as a science experiment for a school project. There are several ways to do this, including the string method.

Here are some materials that you can gather before starting:

Glass or plastic cup (this should be able to handle very hot water)
Pencil or popsicle stick
Heavy string or thin twine

Sugar - about a five pound bag
A spoon
Food coloring
Paper towel

*Note: the first step will be working with very hot water. For safety reasons only an adult should perform the first steps. PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP SMALL CHILDREN AND PETS AWAY FROM THE HOT WATER.

To start, get a microwave safe container, like a Pyrex measuring cup. Fill it with water to about the one cup mark. Place this cup of water in the microwave and set it for five minutes at high heat. You will want the water very hot to effectively dissolve the sugar into it.

While the water is heating, take the string or twine and tie one end around the pencil or popsicle stick (the string holder). Now get your glass or plastic cup that you will use to contain your crystals in (the cup) and place the pencil or popsicle stick across the top of the cup and center it so the string falls down  into the center of the glass. Note the length of the string and cut it so that the end is about an inch above the bottom. Remove the string holder and string off the top of the cup.

If the water is starting to boil, *carefully* (remember only an adult should do this step) remove it from the microwave and place the hot water and the container it is in on the countertop or on a table and make sure that it is in no danger of being spilled. Don't place a spoon or other metal object in the hot water as this can sometimes make the water "erupt".

Now, this is the important part. Using your spoon, carefully add some sugar into the water (start with four teaspoons) and begin stirring the hot water. If the water is hot enough, the sugar will disappear completely and the water will remain clear. Keep adding two teaspoons of sugar to the water as soon as the water turns clear from the last sugar that was added and keep stirring in between. Continue to do this until the water either stays cloudy or undissolved sugar crystals are collecting at the bottom.

The importance of this step is that the water is getting saturated with sugar. The more sugar that you can get dissolved into the water, the bigger your crystals will grow. If you do not get enough sugar

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