[Jwlowe]

Cannot make the sodium acetate experiment work! Every time I dissolve the solution 160 grams in 30 ml water - whether I boil it or microwave, I pour it into a clean hard plastic cup and within minutes a surface foam starts to form, turning white, and solidifies. Whether I cool it at room temperature or in frigerator. What am
 Doing wrong?!? Too much, too little water? Plastic cup instead of glass or ceramic? Can I re-melt past experiments? I purchased quality stuff from a pharmaceutical place on web sondidnt make it myself. Also tried the ‘hot ice crystal’ kit ordered online. So I’m
Pretty sure my sodium
Acetate is ok. Please *delete me*! Thank you!


*edited by mod for some typos and a little more title clarity

[wildfyr]

Could you clarify what the "sodium acetate experiment is"? I see many variations on google. What are you trying to accomplish, and what is going wrong?

[Jwlowe]

I’m dissolving the sodium acetate crystals.by heat so that the final solution is clear. Then amen it is cool you are supposed to drop in a couple crystals that will start the whole solution crystallizing and becoming solid -  but slow enough that you can see it all happening. ‘Super cooling’

But it’s crystallizing right away as it cools rather than cooling clear and crystallizing when
I add the crystal

[Borek]

Chances are your solution is not pure and contains contaminants. Even just an invisible dust can start the crystallization.

[Arkcon]

Or even a scratch or chipped surface of your glassware.  Even in the most perfect conditions, in rare instances, the solution crystallizes when shaken, or jarred.  Or even left, covered, on a shelf.  Here's a post by someone who made a large public artwork involving this phenomena: http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=81924.msg301791#msg301791

[Corribus]

Also, check your water source. Tap water can have sediment or dissolved solids.