How to Create Crystal Snowflakes

Looking for a unique gift or ornament for the holiday season? Follow along with ABC11 Science Club with BASF and discover how to use a few household items to create a beautiful crystal snowflake!

Objective: How Do Crystals Form?

Crystals often form in nature when liquids cool and start to harden. Certain molecules in the liquid gather together as they attempt to become stable. They do this in a uniform and repeating pattern that forms the crystal.

Crystals can form when liquid rock (magma) cools. Many valuable crystals, such as diamonds and emeralds, form this way. Crystals also form when water evaporates from a mixture. In addition, salt crystals often form as salt water evaporates.

This experiment uses hands-on chemistry to demonstrate the unique process of crystallization. Click here to download a PDF of the instructions to print and recreate at home!

Find us at Facebook.com/abc11scienceclub to share photos and videos of your crystal snowflake experiment! Also, be sure to tune in to ABC11 Science Club with BASF every Wednesday at 4:28 PM!