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Flame Testing of Crystal and Dirt

Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to observe any physical changes that may occur during
prolonged heat exposure of quartz crystal and to see if it is going to be possible for me
to put and quartz crystal in a ceramic work, also to see what type of clay the soil i have
dug up is.
The highest temperature will be 2500 and both substance will rise to that degree over
time.
The whole experiment is planned to take around an hour and thirty minutes to get
desired results.
Starting weights
Dirt- 25.01g
Crystal- 6.9g
Started at 1:42pm February 24th 2016
Crystal- outer crust is turning a slight shade of grey
0.05.17
Dirt- turning black only on the side that is directly in the flame and
touching the ceramic/wire tray
0.07.38
Crystal- outer crust has turned black, no changes on the actual crystal
cluster itself
0.09.15
Temperature raised
0.11.28
Fumes from either the tested substances or the gas valve are starting to produce a
smell, The room now smells of rotten eggs , I am going to open a window to try and let
the room air out.
Opened window
0.13.29
The wind is too strong and is starting to move the flame away from the
testing area heating only one half of the materials. Closing window and opening
the side door leading to the hall.
0.15.20
The ring hold the materials is now starting to glow red, reducing the flame.
0.17.43

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Be more cautious about putting anything flammable next to the flames. Keep anything
flammable at least a foot away. The heat being radiated off is starting to dry out my
notebook to where the paper is becoming brittle and is making it hard to write note in my
journal.
Take water breaks so you do not dehydrate and keep both door open. The air in the
room is also drying out take account for any pressure changes if applicable.
Switching to a bigger ring stand to reduce the amount of stress of the
previous on by it being in direct heat for so long. Hopefully this will reduce some
of the glowing that is coming from the metal being in the flame. This should give
the flame enough space to keep it off the metal.
0.27.36
Crystal- it looks as though some of the crust has either fallen off or been
burnt off the crystal . The parts that remain that aren't the crystal are a dark grey
color. No changes in the color or shape of the crystal, no cleaving.
0.30.00
Dirt- it has gotten darker but is closer to a reddish brown color. Some spot
are glowing a yellow color but only in the areas that are having direct contact with
the flame. No cracks or breaking.
0.30.00
Switching burners to raise temperature to another 1000
0.41.58
Have between 5-8 in. of space between the flame exhaust and the ring stand . Using a
Fisher bunsen burner.
Dirt- turning a dark beige color. The spots that are directly in the flame
glow red and are brighter that the flame that it i in.
1.04.37
Crystal- Is now turning white but in small patches, very hard to notice.
1.06.20
Crystal- More white patches are appearing, although no change in shape
and no cleaving or breaking.
1.22.38
Now i'm going to test resistance to extreme temperature changes i have gathered 200
ml of ice and am going to place one at a time pices of the crystal and dirt in the ice and
observe their reactions to the changes.
Do not let any of the heated materials touch the glass. Hold the crystal or clay with
tongs and place in the ice with you holding it so that it doesn't fall and cause the glass to
crack if it doesn't cool fast enough.

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Crystal- was dipped into the ice and no changes occurred. The crystal
maintained its structural shape before and after. As soon as it stopped steaming
the crystal was touched and felt to be very close to room temperature. No
cleaving or breaking.
1.37.18
Dirt- similar results occurred pertaining to the crystal, No breaking no new
cracks. Water evaporated within second of it being places in the air. The dirt did a
much better job of retaining heat, even after it stopped steaming in the ice it still
continued to steam in the air as water was still on it.
1.46.53
Ending weights
Dirt- 24.18g
Crystal- 9.49g
Ended at 3:28pm February 24th 2016

Conclusions
This was successful, i now know that the dirt i have dug up is cera cotta clay,and i may
be able to use it it one of my pieces. Also it heated and cooked much faster than

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anticipated. The quartz inversion process occurred much faster but that could also be
that i was 3 temperature cones higher than i need to be for it to happen.
The crystal did hold up but when some outside force/pressure was applied to it, it did
break apart. The crystal broke into small pieces but only in the area that had turned
white. I might be able to use this in the face that clay does shrink when it is heated and
due to the fact that the crystal breaks gives me the possibility to put crystal in a work
without it cracking or shattering as it shrinks.
I do need to research the heat resistance of crystals and the different types and the
chemical arrangements of them all. I suspect that what i have been using is quartz and i
need to know what it can withstand and for how long.
There were no problems other than the lack of time longer than 2 hours. Other than that
this experiment went good.