Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I did the Crazy Crystal Creations experiment following the directions exactly as the website explained. In my first 2 experiments, the refrigerator environment grew the largest, purest crystals but in my last experiment, the ice bath created HUGE, large, pure crystals - whereas in the first 2 experiments, it had grown little to no crystals. I don't understand this discrepancy. So, for my results, I am concluding that my results are not definitive and to get proper results, I would have to conduct the experiment many more times until my results were consistent. Is this the proper way to relay my results?

Hi Charlton,

First off, your results are "proper", in the sense that they are the honest results of your experiments. There is some ambiguity in the refrigerator versus ice bath environments. But, the room temperature environment never grew the largest, purest crystals. That is a definite conclusion. So, your conclusion could (1) say that the room temperature environment never grew the largest or purest crystals, (2) in two experiments the refrigerator environment grew the largest and purest crystals, (3) in one experiment, the ice bath environment grew the largest and purest crystals, and (4) additional tests may be needed to figure out if the refrigerator or ice bath grew the largest and purest crystals.

Good luck!