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4 cups sugar
2 cups water
a small saucepan
a wooden spoon
a candy thermometer
a small, clean glass jar
a measuring cup
cotton string
a weight to hang on the string (such as a screw or galvanized washer)
waxed paper
a pencil (to suspend the string in the jar)
What Do I Do?
Did You Know?
Rock candy is one of the oldest and purest forms of candy. It was originally used by pharmacists to make medicines for many kinds of illnesses.
1. Heat the water in the saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
2. Completely dissolve the sugar in the boiling water, stirring continuously with the wooden spoon until the solution grows clear and it reaches a rolling boil.
3. Remove the solution from the heat, and then carefully pour it into the jar. Cover the jar with a small piece of waxed paper.
4. Tie the weight to one end of the string, and then tie the other end to the middle of the pencil. The string should be about two-thirds as long as the jar is deep. Dip the string into the sugar solution, remove it, lay it on a piece of waxed paper, straighten it out, and let it dry for a few days.
Why does the string need to be soaked and then dried?
5. Gently suspend the prepared string in the solution and let sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for several days. You can check each day to see how much your crystals have grown. Its tempting, but dont touch the jar until the experiment is finishedit usually takes about seven days.
2 cups water
a small saucepan
a wooden spoon
a candy thermometer
a small, clean glass jar
a measuring cup
cotton string
a weight to hang on the string (such as a screw or galvanized washer)
waxed paper
a pencil (to suspend the string in the jar)
What Do I Do?
Did You Know?
Rock candy is one of the oldest and purest forms of candy. It was originally used by pharmacists to make medicines for many kinds of illnesses.
1. Heat the water in the saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
2. Completely dissolve the sugar in the boiling water, stirring continuously with the wooden spoon until the solution grows clear and it reaches a rolling boil.
3. Remove the solution from the heat, and then carefully pour it into the jar. Cover the jar with a small piece of waxed paper.
4. Tie the weight to one end of the string, and then tie the other end to the middle of the pencil. The string should be about two-thirds as long as the jar is deep. Dip the string into the sugar solution, remove it, lay it on a piece of waxed paper, straighten it out, and let it dry for a few days.
Why does the string need to be soaked and then dried?
5. Gently suspend the prepared string in the solution and let sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for several days. You can check each day to see how much your crystals have grown. Its tempting, but dont touch the jar until the experiment is finishedit usually takes about seven days.