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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2003  > February  >
Chemistry for Everyone
Salt Crystals—Science behind the Magic
Charles F. Davidson and Michael R. Slabaugh
Department of Chemistry, Weber State University, Ogden, UT 84408-2503
Cover
February 2003
Vol. 80 No. 2
p. 155
Abstract
Salt or sodium chloride occurs naturally as cubic crystals. However, both flake and dendritic forms of salt are known. Dendritic salt is formed by the evaporation of brines that contain small amounts (5 ppm) of ferrocyanide ions. Because of its low bulk density and high surface area, dendritic salt is used to prevent clumping of cubic sodium chloride or when rapid dissolution or even mixing with other ingredients is needed. The ever-popular homegrown "magic crystal garden" relies on the formation of dendritic sodium chloride crystals. The common household chemicals aqueous ammonia, bluing, and table salt are used for this experiment. Bluing, a whitening agent used in the laundry, contains a colloidal dispersion of solid Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3•xH2O. Small amounts of soluble ferrocyanide are formed in the bluing–ammonia solution that supplies the ferrocyanide ion needed for dendritic salt formation.
More Information
*  Citation
 Davidson, Charles F.; Slabaugh, Michael R. J. Chem. Educ. 2003 80 155.
*  Keywords
 Consumer Chemistry; Crystallography / Crystal Growth; Descriptive Chemistry
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 January 6, 2003
February 28, 2005
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