Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My daughter is in 2nd grade and has done a great job of conducting her experiments to grow sugar, table salt and epsom salt crystals. I'm trying to help her with the background info. and don't know what to write. She's asked 2 questions, what is a saturated solution and what shape do each of these crystals make? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. She did all her research on how to grow the crystals on line but we haven't done any research on why they grow.

Hi Angela:

Your daughter sounds like she is having fun with this project. Here are a few resources that may help the two of you finish it up:

Sodium Chloride crystal habit:

http://www.galleries.com/minerals/halid ... halite.htm

Epson salt crystal habit and general info on crystal types

http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/geology/cslab.htm
http://www.galleries.com/minerals/sulfa ... somite.htm

A source on crystal habits of sugar, salt, and Epsom salt:

http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbanf/crystal.htm

Some information on saturated solutions:

http://www.800mainstreet.com/9/0009-004-solub.html

Hope you both have fun with this subject.

Best regards,

Barrett Tomlinson