Analyzing different Crystal Structures Under the Foldscope
Apr 11, 2019 • 2:30 PM UTC
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Téa Cohen
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Table Salt
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Splenda
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Raw Crystalized Honey
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Sugar I decided to ask a rather qualitative question: what
do different types of crystalline materials look like? How do their crystal shapes and patterns
differ?
To answer this question, I looked at very small
amounts of table salt, splenda, raw crystalized honey, and fine sugar under the
foldscope. Here are pictures of my
findings in that order!
From these pictures, I can conclude that although
different shaped crystals, both salt and sugar have very geometric and
organized crystals, with sugar having especially square ones. We can also see
recurring crystalline patterns within the raw honey, although they do seem to
be less structured and individual and more melded together. Splenda seems to have an altogether different
pattern, if it has any, and is more irregular.
Some questions this leaves me with include: why do these materials’
structures differ? Could this contribute to their differences in taste,
texture, and solubility/chemical properties?
do different types of crystalline materials look like? How do their crystal shapes and patterns
differ?
To answer this question, I looked at very small
amounts of table salt, splenda, raw crystalized honey, and fine sugar under the
foldscope. Here are pictures of my
findings in that order!
From these pictures, I can conclude that although
different shaped crystals, both salt and sugar have very geometric and
organized crystals, with sugar having especially square ones. We can also see
recurring crystalline patterns within the raw honey, although they do seem to
be less structured and individual and more melded together. Splenda seems to have an altogether different
pattern, if it has any, and is more irregular.
Some questions this leaves me with include: why do these materials’
structures differ? Could this contribute to their differences in taste,
texture, and solubility/chemical properties?
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