Continuing with this weeks Easter theme, the boys and I did some fun egg-periments. We did 5 experiments in total, however, today we are only going to talk about 3 cool experiments using 1 egg. Look for the other experiments ove the next few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experiments today all evolve around making a rubber egg. Yep, you read that we made a rubber egg! Full disclosure, this experiment isn’t a fast one. It will take place over several days. Though there isn’t an immediate result, the cool part is that it gives you plenty of time to talk through the actual scientific process of what’s going go-which is a lot to process, especially for younger children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eggshells contain calcium carbonate, which reacts with an acid in vinegar called acetic acid. The acetic acid breaks up the calcium and carbonate, dissolving the shell. While the calcium floats away, the carbonate reacts with the acetic acid to create carbon dioxide. This is why you see bubbles on and around the eggs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To demonstrate this for smaller children, take their shirt sleeve and blow through it. Ask them if they felt the air through the shirt. Explain that their shirt sleeve is like the eggs membrane. Both has small holes that allow things to pass through them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Osmosis, is the movement of a liquid, like water, across a membrane. Explain that membranes like to be balanced on both sides. The vinegar solution is mostly water with only a little vinegar in it, while inside the membrane is protein with a little water. So the water molecules travel from the vinegar into the egg to try to balance the concentrations, and the egg expands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Continuing with the osmosis process, when they place the egg in corn syrup, it shrinks due to corn syrup being very sugary with only a little water dissolved in it. The egg will shrink because the membrane likes to stay balanced on both sides and will move water to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again with osmosis, when you place the shriveled egg in water, the water absorbs through the membrane to stay balanced. If you add food coloring, when you pop the egg, they will visually be able to see how the colored water was absorbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some steps for your more advanced scientists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n