‭KEVI Chemistry‬

‭It’s that time of year when we can’t walk into a store without seeing displays of chocolate bunnies, marshmallow‬
‭chicks, and vibrant bouquets of flowers. Along with all these springtime treats, perhaps the most memorable‬
‭and engaging tradition (and my personal favorite) is the dyeing of Easter eggs.‬

‭Decorating eggs is a deeply rooted, international tradition. The oldest examples of this activity are the engraved‬
‭ostrich eggs found in Africa 60,000 years ago. Eggs across many countries and cultures are celebrated, and‬
‭whether these activities are based on religion or the coming of spring, eggs represent rebirth and life.‬

‭For those who have participated in egg dyeing, you may have wondered:‬‭Why is vinegar added to the dye‬
‭solution?‬ ‭This can be explained through simple chemistry. You've probably heard of acids and bases - it turns‬
‭out that all solutions have a degree of acidity or basicity. Acids chemically react with bases to create solutions‬
‭that are more neutral – that is, closer to pure water.‬

‭So, back to the initial question – why is vinegar needed to dye an egg? The answer is that most egg dyes need acid‬
‭to bind the dye to the eggshell. Vinegar is an acid, and eggshells are bound together by a basic molecule called‬
‭calcium carbonate. The eggshells base molecules assure that neutral and basic solutions will not change the‬
‭eggshell. However, vinegar will react with the calcium carbonate shell to dissolve it slightly, allowing the dye‬
‭molecules to stick to the eggshell, giving you vibrantly colored eggs. Without adding vinegar to your dye‬
‭solution, you will likely get very faint coloring.‬

‭( Egg in vinegar. The bubbles on the shell are from gas released when the vinegar reacts with the calcium‬
‭carbonate. Leave this overnight and the eggshell will dissolve! )‬

‭Have you ever tried changing the amount of vinegar added to your dye solution? Because acid is needed for the‬
‭dye molecule to stick to the egg, you might predict that adding more vinegar to the solution will give you more‬
‭colorful eggs. This may be true to an extent, but be careful! The acid reacts with calcium carbonate to produce‬
‭carbon dioxide gas, which will float out of the solution, like carbonation in soda. This gas forming on the surface‬
‭of the eggshell can leave behind streaks, causing a blotchy dye job. That is why there is an optimal amount of‬
‭vinegar recommended for the dye solution. Too much vinegar or leaving the egg in the solution too long will‬
‭eventually dissolve the eggshell.‬

‭Have you ever seen someone dye eggs with a silk tie? The patterns on a silk tie can be transferred from the tie‬
‭onto the egg by wrapping the egg in the tie and submerging it in water with vinegar. Eventually, some of the dye‬
‭from the tie will be transferred to the eggshell. This is because silk ties are usually dyed using dyes that require an‬
‭acid to bind – the same reason that dyeing eggs requires vinegar. By adding vinegar to the water, the tie’s dye‬
‭molecules can be transferred over to the eggshell.‬

‭Now that you know the chemical principles behind this tradition in addition to some tips and tricks for optimal‬
‭coloring, there is no reason for not making this Easter your most colorful yet.‬

‭*‭G
‬ oing further:‬‭Egg dye molecules are typically sodium salts of a negatively charged molecule called a phenolic‬
‭acid. In an acidic solution, it gains a H+, allowing it to interact with the surface of the eggshell. In particular, dye‬
‭molecules interact with slightly negative parts of the eggshell, including the calcium carbonate and some parts of‬
‭proteins.‬