Copper sulfate, also called blue vitriol or copper(II) sulfate, is a compound with the chemical formula CuSO4. It forms hydrates of copper sulfate, where n can range from 1 to 7. The most common type of hydrate is pentahydrate (n = 5), which emits a deep blue color in a flame test.
How to grow crystals with a saturated solution
You can get pretty good results growing big single crystals from a saturated copper sulfate solution, if you follow some basic techniques. One of the most important is to make sure your solution has been purified, by sprinkling some copper sulfate powder in it before letting it sit for a few days.
How to make a supersaturated solution
Supersaturated solutions are a bit trickier to grow crystals from, but they do work. Basically, it works like this: you dissolve copper sulfate in hot water and let it cool until it’s a little hazy, but not completely clear. Once the solution is cooled, you sprinkle some copper sulfate powder in the solution and let it sit for a day.
How to use a balance
To weigh your copper sulfate solution, place some tare paper on the bottom of the balance pan and then add your solution until the balance indicates 0.00 g. Then, transfer the sample to a 250 mL beaker. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have accumulated about 100 g.
