The structure of snowflakes has always fascinated people, because, they are truly some of nature’s best works of art. We can actually create some of these jewels ourselves, right in our own home.
The main ingredient in our homemade snowflake is borax, which is a mineral. This mineral, which has a crystal form, has been used, in one form or another, for thousands of years. Today, we think of borax as a fluffy substance that we add to our clothes washer to boost cleaning, and this is exactly what you need when making your snowflake.
First you have to design that familiar six sided shape. Start out with three short white pipe cleaners, or cut some into sections about three inches long. These need to be twisted together in the center, so that you end up with a six pointed star. Once you have the star, you need to add some string from point to point all around the outer edges. And, finally, you will need to add a hanging string that you can use to suspend your flake in solution, and later on in a window, or on your Christmas tree. For right now, the other end of this string will be attached to the center of a pencil.
The rest of your ingredients includes a wide mouth pint jar, your borax cleaning additive, and boiling water. Start by mixing the solution at a ratio of three tablespoons of borax to one cup of boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Once your mixture is prepared, and deep enough to submerge your flake, lower it into the water and balance the pencil across the top of the jar. If you want some color in your flake, such as the bluish cast of actual snow, you can add a drop of food coloring as well.
By the next day, you should have created a snowflake, as the crystals cling to the pipe cleaners and string. This happens because, as the water cools, there is less room for the crystals in the jar, and they move closer together, and attach themselves to the string and the pipe cleaners.
Home experiments like these are not only fun, they are interesting for the whole family. The kids will love making their own decorative snowflakes and learn something about their construction in the process. The main danger is the boiling water, so make sure that an adult is supervising this process.
http://britton.disted.camosun.bc.ca/snow/boraxsnowflake.html
