The Magic Eggs

Science Concept: Density: every liquid has its own density. An object will therefore
behave differently in each liquid.

Pre-demo Prep: Fill the beakers with each of the 3 fluids. Draw faces on the eggs to
personalize them. Have the eggs ready to be placed into the liquids.

Materials: 3 eggs

3 - 400 mL beakers

225 mL water

225 mL of 3 M hydrochloric acid (You may substitute vinegar for the hydrochloric acid)

60 g of sodium chloride dissolved in 225 mL water (salt water)

Long pair of tongs or a spoon

Directions:

Tell the first egg to float. Using the tongs or spoon, put the egg in the salt water. It will
float. (If it doesn't, add a little more salt) Next, tell the second egg to swim. Put this egg
in the hydrochloric acid. It will swim to the top while creating bubbles and rolling
around. Last, tell the 3rd egg to dive. When put in the water, it will sink to the bottom.

Introduction:

I have the only 3 magical eggs in the universe. Why are they magical? Because they have
ears! They can hear what I tell them to do and then they do it! Anything I want them to
do, they will. Watch these special eggs...

Explanation:

When an object is placed in a liquid, it will either sink, float or react with the liquid.
Density is the cause of all 3 options. Density is the mass of an object divided by its
volume. The wieght of the object, in this case the egg, is constant. If an object is heavier
than the liquid it is in, it will sink to the bottom and we say this object is denser than the
liquid. This was shown by the egg in the water.

In the second case salt is added to the water. The extra salt dissolved in the water causes
it to become more dense. If density of the liquid is greater than the object, it will float to
the top, and we say this object is less dense than the liquid. This was shown by the egg in
the salt water.
The egg in the hydrochloric acid is lighter, because the gas bubbles provide a floatation
device, than the acid so it stayed at the top. The bubbles occurred because the calcium
carbonate on the egg shell reacted with the acid. Carbon dioxide bubbles are produced,
causing the egg to rotate and spin. The carbon dioxide bubbles on top of the eggs break.
In the meantime more bubbles are attached to the bottom of the egg. These bubbles now
cause the egg to spin and repeat the process.

The bubbles attached to the egg also made it less dense.

Safety Precautions: Be careful when handling the hydrochloric acid. It can burn your
skin if you spill some on your hand.

Waste Disposal: Dump all liquids into the sink when finished. Discard eggs, especially
the hydrochloric acid one.