Diy — Crystals

Faster evaporation (warm, dry location) yields smaller, more numerous crystals. Slow, steady evaporation yields fewer but larger single crystals. 6. Troubleshooting | Problem | Likely cause | Fix | |---------|--------------|-----| | No crystals after 48h | Solution not saturated | Reheat and add more solute | | Crust on top of jar | Evaporation too fast | Cover with coffee filter (not airtight) | | Crystal on string only, not pipe cleaner | String has more nucleation sites | Roughen the surface of the pipe cleaner | | White powder instead of clear crystals | Too rapid cooling / agitation | Let solution cool slowly; do not stir | 7. Discussion The borax method works because its solubility increases dramatically with temperature. As the water cools, it can no longer hold all the borax molecules, forcing them to precipitate onto any available surface – especially rough fibers. Salt and sugar have flatter solubility curves, requiring water evaporation instead of cooling, which is why they take longer.