Professional paper

https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2019.025

Chemistry in Education:
How to Make Citric Acid and Sugar Crystals

Milan Sikirica ; Division of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Middle school students almost regularly perform experiments of crystallization of copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate and kitchen salt. Copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate is poisonous and harmful to the environment, and larger crystals of kitchen salt are difficult to obtain. Instead of experimenting with the crystallization of copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate and kitchen salt, it is better to carry out crystallization of citric acid and common (table) sugar. These materials are inexpensive, easily accessible, biodegradable, and not environmentally hazardous.




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords

chemical education; citric acid; sugar; experiment; crystal; crystallization; crystal lattice; crystal structure; unit cell; symmetry

Hrčak ID:

228063

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/228063

Publication date:

7.12.2019.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 8.047 *