Egg-speriment

I love doing experiments with my kids. I'm not sure if they are retaining the information, but I'm sure the in-the-moment experience is one they'll learn from. Maybe not. Either way, I'm having a good time.

Several years ago I did an experiment with the kids I taught. Dissolving the shell off an egg using vinegar. I love vinegar. There are just so many uses. Eating away the shell is just so useful...

All I had that day was cider vinegar. We poured it into the jar, put the egg in and placed it in the fridge for a day. As you can see, the bubbles on the egg are indicative of the whole shell-eating process. The vinegar is acidic and it eats away at the calcium shell. When the process was done, we compared it to a regular egg. We put the two into white vinegar (I had since gone and bought some). After another day, we put the shell-less egg into a jar and poured Karo syrup in so it covered the egg. The corn syrup makes the egg shrink. I just love this experiment so much.

After another day or so, the egg is all shriveled up. Apparently, and I did not know this until today, if you put the egg back into a clean glass and cover it with water it will resume it's shape. I will have to try this one again. The husband hates these sorts of things. "Gross, shriveled up eggs and vinegar all around the house." It's not like they take up the whole house. He just exaggerates...I think on purpose.