What do eggs and basketballs have in common? They can both bounce! Check out this fun and simple egg science activity that will have you and your children or students examining gravity!
To get started all you need is a glass, water, vinegar, and of course, the main star of the show: an egg!
How to:
- First, you will need to remove the shell from the egg.
- Take the shell-less egg and let it soak in a glass of water for a few days.
- Try dropping the egg from a few feet (1 m) above the floor or table.
- Try dropping a ball from the same height. Which bounces higher? Why do you think that is?
Result: The vinegar removes the hard shell but the membrane surrounding the egg remains. Soaking the egg in water causes the egg to expand due to osmosis; there is a greater concentration of water on the outside of the egg membrane, so the water moves into the egg. The water stretches the membrane, making the egg “bouncy.”
This is a great opportunity to discuss gravity and how it impacts different objects and why.
