Seventh grade students in Mr. Burdi’s Physical Science class at James Wilson Young Middle School put their scientific skills to work during a holiday-themed solutions lab on Dec. 8. The lab challenged students to observe how temperature changes affect supersaturated solutions while creating their own crystal holiday ornaments.
To begin, students shaped pipe cleaners into festive designs such as stars, trees and candy canes and positioned them inside thermal cups. They then added 300 mL of boiling water and used a solubility curve to calculate the amount of borax that could be dissolved at that temperature. After weighing and mixing the borax into the water until fully dissolved, students suspended their pipe cleaner ornaments in the solution using binder clips, pencils and string.
When the supersaturated solution cooled overnight, students returned to find their ornaments coated in sparkling borax crystals, demonstrating both the science behind crystallization and fun, festive experimentation.
