Eggs aren’t just for Easter! They come in super handy when rustling up a science activity for the kids, they are an EGGcellent resource material. Out of all experiments you can do with eggs however, dissolving egg shells is something every student should try. Teachers can use it to accompany and demonstrate theory at school, or if you’re looking to entertain the kids at home during the holidays, it’s safe to do at home too.
This a great visual and tactile STEM project to do with the kids and it can be adapted depending on the age of the students at hand. For instance, younger kids, toddlers even, can simply be fascinated by the fact that different liquids can change an egg, while older kids can write down predictions of what they think will happen to each egg in each different substance.
DISSOLVING EGGS
For this experiment you simply need a well-stocked fridge and some minds that are eager to learn! It’s important to note before hand that the results of the experiment will only be clear after at least 24 hours, so gratification is not going to be instant and a bit of patience will have to be practised.
Here’s what you will need:
- 4 eggs, uncooked
- 4 Clear beakers, or glass
- Water
- Coke (or any fizzy cooldrink)
- Orange Juice
- White vinegar
Instructions:
- Lay out your glasses/beakers and fill one with water, one with orange juice, one with coke and one with vinegar.
- Place an egg into each glass and leave them on a flat and steady surface for 24 hours before you observe them.
Observation:
- The water had no effect on the egg, it looked the same as usual.
- The coke had dissolved the shell slightly.
- The orange juice had dissolved the shell quite a bit.
- The vinegar had pretty much removed the shell completely.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT
In this experiment, the water is the control substance and has no effect on the egg. The other liquids however contain acid, this acid reacts with the shell of the egg, which is made from calcium carbonate, and eats away at it (removes it). This experiment also demonstrates which of the liquids are more acidic than others.
The egg that was placed in vinegar looks completely different and if the egg was left in for longer, the shell would have been eaten away completely. The egg membrane stays intact however, since the vinegar moves through the membrane (a process called osmosis) and into the egg. This is why the egg that was in vinegar has expanded and is larger than the others.
Source link: https://www.bluebearwood.co.uk/dissolving-expanding-and-bouncing-eggs/
Pretty amazing right! This activity can be used to demonstrate so many scientific procedures actually, from what acidity does and why some liquids are more acidic than others to chemical reactions and osmosis – to name but a few!
Things like this is what make education fun. The more fun you are having while you are learning, the better the chances that the theory will sink in and something will be learnt, hopefully lodged in your mind for years to come. FYI – this is an EGGcellent Easter time activity.
Much love - 
@sweetpea
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