Science experiments for children – Growing stalagmites and stalactites: This experiment demonstrates how stalactites and stalagmites are formed inside the caves, in the presence of saturated solutions of water and other elements (calcium carbonate and some minerals), imitating the natural process through evaporation of the saturated solution from a wool or cotton thread.
The water containing a dissolved salt moves through a porous surface, and with the evaporation of water will assist to the deposit of the crystals, which can take place from bottom to top or from top to bottom.
Science experiments for children – Growing stalagmites and stalactites
Required materials
two glass jars,
a saturated solution of water and salt (magnesium sulfate or Epson salt or sodium carbonateor soda),
a thread of cotton or wool,
two pearls to tie at the ends of the thread to act as a weight,
a tray or a sheet of cardboard.
This is a table of other minerals used for growing crystals:
http://www.sciencecompany.com/
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Science experiments for children – Growing stalagmites and stalactites
How do
Fill each jar for about 3/4 of hot water.
Place the two jars on the tray or on the cardboard, and add salts chosen, stirring until they are well dissolved in water in both jars.
Bind at the ends of the thread the two beads and dip the two heads in jars, spacing them between them so that the thread does not touch the floor but not be too tense.
Science experiments for children – Growing stalagmites and stalactites
Other links
http://weirdsciencekids.com/makecavestalactites.html
http://www.sciencecompany.com/sci-exper/crystal_exp4.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/od/crystalrecipes/a/sodacrystals.htm
http://www.scienceprojectideas.co.uk/growing-stalactites-stalagmites.html
