When preparing the borax and water solution using hot water the borax powder will dissolve faster. If we grow the crystals in the fridge then we think they will be a bit smaller than the room temperature crystals because the cold of the fridge will make the crystals grow more slowly. 

• The scientific name for borax is sodium tetraborate decahydrate.   
• Borax is a natural mineral found in dry lake beds mostly imported from Turkey and California.  
• Borax is a type of crystal (a solid with flat sides and symmetrical shape)
• People use borax to clean clothes, walls, etc.
• Borax is classified as a sedimentary rock.(Formed by or from deposits of sediment.

• Borax has been used as a cleaner since it was discovered in the late 1800’s.

• It softens the water helping soap work better, it binds with calcium and magnesium removing them from the water.
• It has a high pH and are breaking down fats and can remove stains and lift odors
• Removes mildew and can prevent it from coming back because it is toxic to plants in high concentration
• Borax is an Alkaline and can counteract rust on metal

Controlled variables: A controlled variable is something that never changes in your experiment. 

• The amount of borax
• The amount of water
• Pipe cleaner and thread     

Manipulated variables: A manipulated variable something that will change your experiment like when we put it in the fridge. 

• Putting it in the fridge while its growing to make the water colder

Responding variable: A responding variable is also called the dependent variable because it depends on the changes caused by the manipulated variable. The responding variable is what changes as a result of the manipulated variable. It is the factor that scientists measure to obtain their data.

Gather materials, measure out borax and water, boil water and borax on stove on medium heat. Stir until well combined and borax is completely dissolved. Pour liquid into glass cup. Create your crystal shape out of pipecleaner. Tie thread around a stick and the other end around pipe cleaner. Float pipe cleaner in glass making sure it doesn’t touch the sides or bottom of glass. Set aside for up to 24 hours for crystals to form. Remove crystals and let dry. 

  Test:1                                              Date: December 27, 2023

Test:2                                                  Date:January 3, 2024

Test:3                                                  Date: January 21, 2024 

Thank you for listening to our borax crystal presentation, we really enjoyed this presentation. We had lots of fun in the making of our presentation. Thank you!

Problems

After doing this experiment we noticed that you need to use really hot water and lot’s of borax to make the best crystals. If the water was too cold or we didn’t use enough borax we would not get good crystals. When selecting a glass for the solutions, we realized you need to use a glass large enough to fit the pipe cleaner without touching the sides. If your pipe cleaner was too big, the crystals growing on the pipe cleaner would also attach to the side of the glass and it was hard to remove the crystal when it was made.

Videos/websites

https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Grow-Borax-Crystals/

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/borax-sodium-tetraborate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHRFBKjqEvg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-borax-where-to-get-608509