Bismuth is an element with the atomic number of 83. When heated to 523℉ (210℃) bismuth melts and when it hardens it forms crystals on the inside and on the outside it creates a thin layer of oxide. Bismuth Hopper crystals can come in colors such as white - gold and green - blue. Colors depend on how much oxygen (O2) it gets and how think the oxide layer is, so instead of appearing in one solid color it appears as many colors put together side by side. Light, in wave length, reflects off the bottom of the layer and rises to the surface to be seen. Phase change plays a big part in this project because in order for bismuth to melt its particles heat up and separate from a solid to a liquid, and it reforms into crystals. with the formed bismuth crystals my partner Hannah and I made jewelry.
Forming bismuth crystals are easy. Just as long as you do not disturb the process. The key (so i was told and then later learned in experience) is to keep the melted bismuth as still as possible, so that the atoms that are moving around can settle and create the crystals by themselves. After you take it off the heat and it cools down, you can tell that the crystals formed when you create a small ripple when you tap the edge of the table and see that the edges of the melted bismuth have solidified again.
Forming bismuth crystals are easy. Just as long as you do not disturb the process. The key (so i was told and then later learned in experience) is to keep the melted bismuth as still as possible, so that the atoms that are moving around can settle and create the crystals by themselves. After you take it off the heat and it cools down, you can tell that the crystals formed when you create a small ripple when you tap the edge of the table and see that the edges of the melted bismuth have solidified again.
First Try!
The first time Hannah and I attempted to make bismuth crystals, for some reason there were no crystals, we figured that someone might have bumped the table when we weren't looking. By bumping the table the atoms moved around and when we poured the excess bismuth into the other container there were no crystals at all. It was disappointing but we decided to attempt to make it again.
Second try!
The second time worked way better than the first time, not only did we get nice looking hopper crystals but we got many hopper crystals. The color appeared from light yellow, to light green, to light blue, and to dark blue. Hannah and I divided them among eachother and each took a few pieces that we would turn into jewelry.
The first time Hannah and I attempted to make bismuth crystals, for some reason there were no crystals, we figured that someone might have bumped the table when we weren't looking. By bumping the table the atoms moved around and when we poured the excess bismuth into the other container there were no crystals at all. It was disappointing but we decided to attempt to make it again.
Second try!
The second time worked way better than the first time, not only did we get nice looking hopper crystals but we got many hopper crystals. The color appeared from light yellow, to light green, to light blue, and to dark blue. Hannah and I divided them among eachother and each took a few pieces that we would turn into jewelry.
Looking forward:For the next section I want to get into rocks and make more jewelry becasue I really enjoyed making the crystals into necklaces and bracelets. I'm hoping my parents will give me permission to use the rock/tile/wet saw that can be provided in class so I can cut my own rocks into shapes of my liking.
Looking backward: Hannah and I were really dissapointed when we couldnt make the crystals the first time, it made us realaixe that it wasn't as easy as it looked. I really liked working with Hannah becasue we seem to work really well with eachother. I think we balance eachother out. I really liked her as a partner because she was as motivated as I was to get these crystals right. I think I made the right choice to keep our group just the two of us because we worked well without the distraction of someone slacking off, then again Hannah like to distract eachother becasue we're so close. That's just a plus.
Looking inward: There was a really fragile process of making the crystals, because a tap at the wrong time when the crystals are forming can throw off the whole process and you could end up back at square one. Hannah and I assumed that as the bismuth cooled the atoms that made it up were settling and bonding together.
Take aways/What I learned: Something that I took away from this lab was that you had to be extra cautious with your surpundings when it come to handling fragile things
Looking backward: Hannah and I were really dissapointed when we couldnt make the crystals the first time, it made us realaixe that it wasn't as easy as it looked. I really liked working with Hannah becasue we seem to work really well with eachother. I think we balance eachother out. I really liked her as a partner because she was as motivated as I was to get these crystals right. I think I made the right choice to keep our group just the two of us because we worked well without the distraction of someone slacking off, then again Hannah like to distract eachother becasue we're so close. That's just a plus.
Looking inward: There was a really fragile process of making the crystals, because a tap at the wrong time when the crystals are forming can throw off the whole process and you could end up back at square one. Hannah and I assumed that as the bismuth cooled the atoms that made it up were settling and bonding together.
Take aways/What I learned: Something that I took away from this lab was that you had to be extra cautious with your surpundings when it come to handling fragile things