Quarky Explores Ibiza
Why do salt crystals come out as tiny cubes?
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The story
In the salt flats of Ibiza, Quarky watches seawater dry in the sun and leave behind sparkling white cubes. Under his magnifier he sees why: sodium and chlorine stack in a neat grid, like the tidiest Lego build in the world, so the shape you can hold matches the pattern that is far too small to see.
What you'll learn
- Salt is made of sodium and chlorine stacked in a repeating cube pattern.
- When water evaporates, the leftover atoms lock into that pattern and grow crystals.
- A crystal's outside shape is a giant clue about how its atoms are arranged inside.
- Quarky takeaway: tiny hidden patterns can show up in things you can hold in your hand.
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