Spring is finally here and so are the eggs! Spring and eggs go together because eggs are a common symbol of fertility… and Spring is a time of growth, birth, and rebirth. In celebration, here are some fun egg-speriments you can do with… eggs!
The Bouncy Egg
Although eggs are fragile on the outside, their insides are much less so. When you drop a raw egg that is straight out of a carton from an elevated platform it will inevitably smash into several tiny pieces. [oh no!] Luckily, making an egg bounce is quite simple and you only need two things (three if you include the egg!)
How?
Place a raw egg in a container and fill with vinegar so the egg is fully submerged. Every day, add more vinegar to keep the egg fully covered. After a few days, the shell should be gone, and you will be left with a bouncing egg! Be sure not to drop the bouncy egg from too high or wash it too vigorously, otherwise it may still break.
Why?!
Vinegar is an acid and dissolves the outer rigid eggshell, which is mostly calcium. The rubbery surface of the inner membrane is transparent and firm (but not indestructible!) so you can see through the egg… and gently bounce it, too!
The Strong Man Egg
Another experiment that you can try is the Strong Man egg-speriment. Begin by making a hypothesis (an educated guess) as to how many books you think can be balanced on top of 4 eggshell halves. To do the experiment, you will need to crack two eggs in half (as close to half as possible) and clean out the egg. [We suggest cracking the eggs as close to their middles and dumping the yolks and whites into a bowl and then using them to make omelettes or French toast! Also, you may need to do more than two because… cracking an egg in the very middle can be a challenge in itself!] Next, place the four separate shell halves into a rectangle shape and begin to place as many books as you can on top of them – one at a time. We think you will be surprised with the result!
{Why?! The dome ends of the eggs are EXTREMELY strong and can hold quite a bit of weight. The weight pushing down on top of the dome doesn’t push straight down, it actually pushes outward along the curve of the egg. The shape of the egg has great structural strength!}
The Floating Egg
Eggs do not naturally float, but with the right combination of water and salt this can change. To make an egg float, fill a glass with water and gently add in a whole fresh raw egg (yes, shell and all!). You will notice that the egg sinks to the bottom [If your egg floats, its probably really old and might be best in your compost rather than an omelette!]. Remove the egg and add 1T of salt into the water. Stir to dissolve the salt then replace the egg into the glass. Does the egg float on top? If not, continue to dissolve salt into the glass of water until the egg rises all the way to the top of the glass.
Try this variable: In a similar glass, try using sugar instead of salt. How much more or less do you need in order to float the egg?
{Why?! The explanation for why salt makes an egg float is very simple: density. Adding salt makes the water denser than the egg; objects that are more dense will sink in water.}
What Matters For Kids believes it is important to conduct experiments that can be performed with household objects. Instead of waiting for all eggs to spoil or end up in the compost, use them eggceptionally well — in the name of science!
To learn more about What Matters for Kids and the various experiments you can do at home visit their website at http://whatmattersforkids.com/.