Liesegang rings (/ ˈ l iː z ə ɡ ɑː ŋ /) are a phenomenon seen in many, if not most, chemical systems undergoing a precipitation reaction under certain conditions of concentration and in the absence of convection. Rings are formed when weakly soluble salts are produced from reaction of two soluble substances, one of which is dissolved in a gel medium. The phenomenon is most commonly seen as rings in a Petri dish or bands in a test tube ; however, more complex patterns have been observed, such as dislocations of the ring structure in a Petri dish, helices, and " Saturn rings " in a test tube. Despite continuous investigation since rediscovery of the rings in 1896, the mechanism for the formation of Liesegang rings is still unclear.