Research And Work Cited

How do I substitute alum powder for something else? That is what I’m going to find out. Alum powder is aluminum sulfate and hydrated potassium(double sulfate of alum)(“Water Properties.” )

Figure 1 - Egg Geodes (“Crystal Egg Geodes”)

Many people think that a geode is a crystal. That is not exactly what it is. A geode begins as a little bubble in volcanic rock; that is why you can not find them anywhere. Over at least a couple hundred centuries, the outside hardens and water containing sialic acid precipitation forms on the inside(“Geodes: Spherical Rocks with Hollow Cavities Lined with Crystals.” ). Most geodes that you can buy are artificially colored. The majority of geodes are earth tones like white or brown(“Schott, Sachiko”. What Colors are Geodes Naturally?.” ). I have tried to open a geode, but they are very hard and basically not opening unless you have some tool to open it the right way, such as a chisel and a hammer. You would need to set the geode on a very hard surface such as concrete or cement. Take your chisel hold it some what in the middle of the geode, and tap it gently with the hammer. Turn the geode and repeat until there is a line all the way around the geode and pull it apart(“ How To Crack Open A Geode + Video.” ).

Most places in Florida are uncommon to have geodes. It is more likely to find a geode in the mountains, deserts, places containing limestone, or in an area that has had a volcano erupt(“Geodes: Spherical Rocks with Hollow Cavities Lined with Crystals.” ). I used to think that you could only go to certain places to get geodes, but to my recent knowledge I now know that you can buy them online or in stores. It is very uncommon to find geodes in Florida, but a recent sighting of them were found in Tampa Bay, Florida(“Sedimentary Geology.”). Now that we know what a geode is and where it comes from, you should know what a crystal is.

A common crystal is quartz arranged in lattice(usually a support system for plants, placed in design such as a fence). A very common crystal is table salt, arranged in a lattice as well.(“What are Minerals, Crystals and Gems Made of?”). It is interesting to see how a crystal forms. Certain molecules in the liquid group together as they attempt to become stable. They do this in a repeating way that forms the crystal. In nature, crystals can form when liquid rock, called magma, cools. If it cools slowly, the crystals may form. (“Science For KIds: Crystals.”)Why do they form? As water evaporates, Na(table salt) and CI(A group of something standard) group together forming crystals. The crystal shape is like a 6 sided die. (“What are Crystals.”)Most crystals form in molten rocks and they are created close together when magma cools, and they are produced in different shapes.(“Where Do Crystals Grow?”) Now that we know what a geode is, we have to know what is an egg geode and what are the part to this experiment.

This may not be the most important important question, but it is to the experiment. What is an egg and what is inside? An egg is an oval object laid by a chicken, or types of reptiles. An egg usually has either a yolk or an animal inside of it.(“What is an Egg?”) How do you make an egg geode? Set eggshell halves aside to dry overnight. The next day, get your mixture in a glass or plastic container by using a spoon to mix 2 cups of very hot water (almost boiling) with an entire packet of Easter egg dye. (“Crystal Egg Geodes.”)

“Break Your Own Geodes.” Amazon, www.amazon.com/GeoCentral-BYOG-Break-Your-Geodes/dp/B0006N5F7O. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.

“Crystal Egg Geodes.” Martha Stewart, Dec 2013, www.marthastewart.com/343344/crystal-egg-geodes. Accessed 3 Feb 2017.

“Geodes: Spherical Rocks with Hollow Cavities Lined with Crystals.” Desert USA, www.desertusa.com/desert-prospecting/geode.html. Accessed 6 Feb 2017.

“ How To Crack Open A Geode + Video?.” Home Science Tools, www.hometrainingtools.com/a/crack-open-geode-project. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.

Houghton Mifflin Company. “What is an Egg?” Dictionary.com, http://www.dictionary.com/browse/egg. Accessed 8 Feb 2017.

“Incredible Egg Geode- SICK Science.” Steve Spangler Science, 2015, www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/incredible-egg-geode/. Accessed 6 Feb 2017.

Nelson, Ken. “Science For KIds: Crystals.” Ducksters, http://www.ducksters.com/science/crystals.php. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.

“Schott, Sachiko”. What Colors are Geodes Naturally?.” Sciencing, sciencing.com/colors-geodes-naturally-7456633.html. Accessed 6 Feb 2017.

“Sedimentary Geology.” Paragenesis of “Box- Work Geodes, Tampa Bay Florida, 1981, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/003707388190025. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.

“Water Properties”. Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Properties_of_water. Accessed 8 Feb 2017.

“What are Crystals.” Science KIds At Home, http://www.sciencekidsathome.com/science_topics/what_are_crystals.html. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.

“Where Do Crystals Grow?” Reference, www.reference.com/science/crystals-grow-dd41cd99427677e4#. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.

“What are Minerals, Crystals and Gems Made of?” ScienceLine, scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=291. Accessed 7 Feb 2017.