Crystal Birth

Crystal Birth from Emanuele Fornasier on Vimeo.

That's just pretty...and relaxing to watch.

Here we get a bunch of chemical reactions producing metal atoms from metal ions. Some are single replacement reactions. Some are - I think - electrical reduction (I'm assuming that because there are gas bubbles appearing in some of the reactions).

For the most part, we get very little information as to what reactions are taking place, with the only text in the video saying things like Bi⁺³ --> Bi but not mentioning any anions being involved.

Either way, this is definitely reduction happening as every reaction changes a metallic ion into the metallic atom that then forms the crystal.

Stick around for the lead crystals at the end (from about 2:23 onward). They're gorgeous.

And not lead crystal...lead crystals.