How to Make Glow-in-the-Dark Alum Crystals

How to Make Glow-in-the-Dark Alum Crystals Alum crystals are among the quickest, easiest, and most reliable crystals you can grow. Did you know you can make them glow in the dark by adding a common household ingredient to the crystal growing solution? Glow in the Dark Alum Crystal Materials Fluorescent highlighter pen (I used yellow, but you can use another color for different colored glowing crystals. Check to make certain the highlighter will glow under an ultraviolet or black light. Pretty much all yellow highlighters glow, as do most other colors. Many blue pens will not glow.)Alum (sold as a pickling spice)Water Grow Glowing Alum Crystals Carefully cut open the highlighter and remove the strip that contains the ink. You may want to wear gloves since highlighter can stain your fingers.Pour 1/2 cup of hot tap water into a clean container.Squeeze the highlighter strip into the water to color it with the fluorescent ink. Discard the ink strip when you are finished.Slowly stir in alum, a little at a time, until it stops dissolving.Loosely cover the jar with a coffee filter or paper towel (to keep dust out) and allow the jar to sit undisturbed overnight.The next day, you should see small alum crystals at the bottom of the container. If you dont see crystals, allow more time. You can let these crystals grow, though they will compete with each other for material. Alternatively, you can use one of these crystals to grow a large single crystal. Growing a Large Single Crystal If crystals are present, pour the alum solution into a clean jar. Collect the small crystals, which are called seed crystals.Tie nylon line around the largest, best-shaped crystal. Tie the other end to a flat object (e.g., popsicle stick, ruler, pencil, butter knife). You will hang the seed crystal by this flat object into the jar far enough so that it will be covered in liquid, but wont touch the bottom or sides of the jar. It may take a few tries to get the length just right.)When you have the right string length, hang the seed crystal in the jar with the alum solution. Cover it with the coffee filter and grow a crystal.Grow your crystal until you are satisfied with it. If you see crystals starting to grow on the sides or bottom of your jar, carefully remove your crystal, pour the liquid into the clean jar, and put the crystal in the new jar. Making the Crystal Glow When you are satisfied with your crystal, remove it from the crystal growing solution and allow it to dry. Just shine a black light (ultraviolet light) on the crystal to make it glow. Depending on the ink you used, the crystal may glow under fluorescent light or sunlight. You can display your crystal or store it. You can wipe dust from a display crystal using a cloth, but avoid dampening it with water or else you will dissolve part of your crystal. Crystals kept in storage may be wrapped in paper for added protection from dust and changed in temperature and humidity. True Glow in the Dark Crystals If you want the crystals to really glow in the dark (no black light), then you stir phosphorescent pigment into a solution of alum and water. Usually, the glow will remain on the exterior of the crystal rather than get incorporated into the crystal matrix. Alum crystals are clear, so another way to make the crystals glow is to mix phosphorescent pigment with clear nail polish and simply paint regular alum crystals. This also protects the crystals from damage by water or humidity, preserving them.

Recitatif Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recitatif - Essay Example hildhood relationship, it is the difference in their race which ultimately comes between them and leads to the conflict in their dwindling relationship. The inactive character of Maggie, the mute lady who worked at the orphanage where the two first met, serves as a very active symbol through which the development of Twlya and Roberta’s racial separation can be traced (Androne 134). As children, the pair formed a strong friendship based on a shared background. During this time, race did not play a very central role beyond the difference in their physical appearance. In future recollections, neither can agree on the actual race of Maggie, which highlights the fact that racial identity was not an important factor during their time at the orphanage. Whereas Roberta asserts that Maggie was black, Twyla admits â€Å"I actually couldn’t be certain. She wasn’t pitch-black, I knew, or I would have remembered that. What I remember was the kiddie hat, and the semicircle legs,† (Morrison 2697). Instead, the vulnerability of Maggie’s character is what stands out to them as the hierarchal structure of the orphan age and fighting for their place in this, was their shared preoccupation during this time. Instead of the actual experience of the incident with Maggie in the orchard, it is in memories and shared recollections that the two consistently disagree on. As the two meet again, their racial separation slowly becomes a growing issue. They both live in different parts of a racially-segregated society and they each come to represent different economic classes, as each marry men of varying wealth and professional status. The significance of race manifests when the town becomes engaged in bussing activities and each takes an opposing position. Here, the two must embody their own racial identity which inevitably leads to a direct confrontation about their racial differences. These differences are deepened even further by their diverse socio-economic statuses. The ensuing