The Incredible Egg – The Emperor’s New Egg

Science
Time Multi-session
Age 5 & up
Group Size 4 or more
Tags Acid, Chemistry, Eggs,   more...
Shells

Have you ever seen a see-through egg?

Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal—and eggs! Many animals lay and incubate eggs in the spring, and in some cultures spring is a time in which kids paint, hide and eat lots of eggs. This makes it a great time to not only take a close look at eggs, but also to experiment with some of the things we can do with them. This activity is part of the Incredible Egg series of activities, which are designed to be done during the Spring—start your students off with this and other “egg science” activities, then move on to egg art, and finally take the Egg Drop Challenge!

Preparation

See the instructions for The Incredible Egg for preparations regarding all of the activities in this series.  For this activity, simply gather the materials needed.  Make sure to try out all of the other “Incredible Egg” activities:

Egg Science:

Egg Art:

Culminating Activity:

The Incredible Egg – The Emperor’s New Egg
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Suggested Materials

  • 1 raw egg
  • 1 large jar with a lid
  • Vinegar
1

Make it Matter

Opening Discussion

Ask your students what purpose they think and eggshell plays. Have they ever wondered what it looks like inside of an egg before it is broken? Can they think of a way they might see inside an egg without cracking open the shell?

The Challenge

Strip an egg bare of its shell!

2

Make it Happen

Doing the Activity

This activity takes a day or two. With your students watching, fill the jar with vinegar and place the egg in it. Close the lid tight.

3

Make it Click

Let’s Talk About It

Have your students come up close and tell you what they observe. Soon, they should see bubbles appear on the surface of the egg. Ask them what they think will happen if you leave the egg in the vinegar overnight. Put the jar aside.

4

Make it Better

Build On What They Talked About

The next day, take the egg out of the glass. Be very careful—the egg will be rubbery and could break easily. You will likely be able to see right through to the yolk! Ask your students what they think happened. You can let your students take turns very gently touching the egg. What do they notice? The egg no longer has any shell!

Suggestions

  • The vinegar in the glass dissolved the calcium carbonate on the egg’s shell—that’s why you saw bubbles on the egg—the vinegar was reacting with the calcium carbonate.
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