Experiment at Home: The Naked Egg
The naked egg (or rubbery egg) is a common experiment that is simple and easy to perform at home. The video below demonstrates how to perform this experiment. The things you will need:
- Egg
- Vinegar
- Cup/Container
The Chemistry
What is going on here? The outer shell of the egg is composed of calcium carbonate. Vinegar, on the other hand, is a mixture of acetic acid and water, typically in a 5% to 95% ratio. In the presence of this acid, this shell is broken down in a simple acid-base reaction. As seen in the video below, carbon dioxide is released as a product and is an indication that the chemical reaction is taking place. Instead of listing the steps needed to perform this simple experiment, I thought it would be more representative to show you:
Tell Me More: Exploring Osmosis
This experiment is a fun continuation of the previous one that will help illuminate part of the interesting nature of your egg. What you will need:
The ChemistryThere is a second experiment involves what is known as osmosis, or the diffusion of water. When the shell of the egg is removed, all that holds it together is the membrane. This membrane has pores that allow the passage of water in and out of the newly "naked" egg. What does this mean?
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To witness osmosis in action, simply place your newly naked egg in water or corn syrup. When placed in water, the molecules surrounding the membrane will diffuse across the gradient into the egg, making it appear larger. Corn syrup, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. This thick syrup has less water content than the content of the egg, causing the water within the membrane to diffuse out. This results in a much smaller egg that can appear shrunken with enough time. In fact, so much water diffuses out that you can clearly see the yolk! Crazy!