Hot Ice Sodium Acetate Crystal Tower

White vinegar (4 cups)

Baking soda (3 tablespoons, plus a small extra pile)

A saucepan

A clean glass container

A plate

Slowly add baking soda to vinegar in a saucepan. Let it fizz out completely.

Boil the remaining liquid until it reduces to about a quarter of its volume. An adult must handle the stove.

Pour into a very clean glass container (any residue or particles will trigger early crystallization).

Refrigerate for at least one hour. The liquid is now supersaturated.

Place a tiny pile of baking soda on a plate as a nucleation trigger.

Slowly pour the chilled solution onto the baking soda.

Watch instant crystallization — a solid tower of warm crystals grows in seconds.

This is called "hot ice" because it crystallizes instantly like ice but feels warm to the touch (the process releases heat).

The solution MUST be extremely clean. Wash the container thoroughly. Even a speck of dust can trigger premature crystallization.

If it crystallizes in the fridge, you reduced it too much. Add a splash of vinegar and re-boil.

The tactile payoff is incredible — watching liquid turn to solid under your fingers is like real-life magic.

This is genuine supersaturation chemistry used in hand warmers and heating pads.