Growing salt and sugar crystals on a string
A saturated solution holds as much dissolved material as it can at a given temperature. As it cools and evaporates, the extra material comes out of solution and builds crystals on anything it can grab onto — like a piece of cotton string.
What worked
- Dissolve salt in hot water until no more will dissolve.
- Pour into a clean jar, leaving the undissolved bits behind.
- Hang a string from a pencil laid across the top.
- Leave it somewhere still for a week.
Sugar takes longer and needs far more sugar than you would expect, but the crystals are bigger and clearer.
Dust is the enemy. A paper towel over the jar helps a lot.