The submitted arts include recrystallized chemicals of the following:
1). Amino acids combine to form protein, one of the building blocks of life. I placed solutions of amino acids on glass slides and watched as they self assembled into a myriad of translucent crystals. The beautiful color shown in the photo, called birefringence, is generated from the interaction between light and amino acid crystals of varying microscopic orientations under a polarizing microscope.
2). Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient our body needs to form blood vessels, muscles, and cartilage. I dissolved Vitamin C granules in a mixture of water and alcohol, and smeared this solution on a glass slide to aid in crystal formation. Under a polarizing microscope, a thin film of vitamin C transforms into exquisite, almost avian-like art.
