Chemical garden

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Comparison of chemical gardens grown by NASA scientists on the International Space

Station (left) and on the ground (right)
A chemical

garden is

an

experiment

in chemistry normally

performed

by

adding solid metal salts such as copper sulfate or cobalt(II) chloride to an aqueous
solution of sodium silicate (otherwise known as water glass). This results in growth of
plant like forms in minutes to hours. The chemical garden was first observed and
described by Johann Rudolf Glauber in 1646. In its original form, the chemical garden
involved the introduction of ferrous chloride (FeCl2) crystals into a solution of potassium
silicate (K2SiO3).
Common salts used in a chemical garden :

Aluminium potassium sulfate crystals (Aluminium kristal kalium sulfat) White

Copper(II) sulfate crystals (Kuprum (II) sulfat kristal) Blue
Chromium(III) chloride crystals (Kromium (III) klorida kristal) Green
Nickel(II) sulfate crystals (Nikel (II) sulfat kristal) Green
Iron(II) sulfate crystals (Besi (II) sulfat kristal) Green
Iron(III) chloride crystals (Iron (III) klorida kristal) Orange
Cobalt(II) chloride crystals (Kobalt (II) klorida kristal) Purple

The chemical garden relies on the fact that most transition metal silicates are insoluble
in water and are coloured.
A metal salt such as cobalt chloride will start to dissolve in the water. It will then form
insoluble cobalt silicate by a double decomposition reaction (anion metathesis). This

cobalt silicate is a semipermeable membrane. Because the ionic strength of the cobalt
solution inside the membrane is higher than the sodium silicate solution which forms the
bulk of the tank contents, osmotic effects will increase the pressure within the
membrane. This will cause the membrane to tear, forming a hole. The cobalt cations will
react with the silicate anions at this tear so forming new solid. In this way growths will
form in the tanks; these will be coloured (according to the metal) and may look like
plants. The crystals formed from this experiment will grow upwards, since the pressure
at the bottom of the tank is higher than the pressure closer to the top of the tank,
therefore forcing the crystals to grow upwards.

A chemical garden while growing

Note however that the upward direction of growth depends on the density of the fluid
inside the semi-permeable membrane being lower than that of the surrounding water
glass solution. If one uses a very dense fluid inside the membrane, the growth is
downward. For example, a fresh, green solution of trivalent chromium sulfate or chloride
refuses to crystallise without slowly changing into the violet form, even if boiled till it
concentrates into a tarry mass. That tar, if suspended in the water glass solution, forms
downward twig-like growths because all the fluid inside the membrane is too dense to
float and thereby to exert upward pressure. The concentration of sodium silicate
becomes important in growth rate. Although any concentration works, a ratio of 2ml of
water to 3ml of sodium silicate works best.
While at first it might seem like the crystal garden is just a bit of fun, some serious work
has been done on the subject. For instance this chemistry is related to the setting
of Portland cement, hydrothermal vents and during the corrosion of steel surfaces tubes

can be formed. A chemical garden helps one to understand the nature of that chemical
substance.
The nature of the growth also is useful in understanding classes of related behaviour
seen in fluids separated by membranes. In various ways it resembles the growth of
spikes or blobs of ice extruded above the freezing surface of still water, the patterns of
growth of gum drying as it drips from wounds in trees such as Eucalyptus sap, and the
way molten wax forms twig-like growths, either dripping from a candle, or floating up
through cool water.
The resulting garden should not be shaken, since the plants are very delicate in nature.
After the growth has ceased sodium silicate solution can be removed by continuous
addition of water at a very slow rate. This will prolong the life of garden. In one specific
experimental variation a single tube can be obtained.
Contents
[hide]

1 Gallery

2 See also

3 References

4 External links

Cobalt(II) chloride

Iron(III) chloride Nickel(II) sulfate

Chemical garden