The Sci Guys: Science at Home - SE1 - EP14: The Naked Egg and Osmosis

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore the fascinating science of osmosis through a fun and engaging experiment: creating a naked egg. This experiment is not only simple but also requires household items, making it an excellent activity for home learning. By the end of this guide, you'll understand how osmosis works and will have seen it in action with your own naked egg.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

To conduct the naked egg experiment, you will need the following items:

• 1 egg
• 1 or more glasses
• Vinegar
• Corn syrup
• Food coloring (optional)
• Water
• Old spoon
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Lab coat or apron (optional for safety)

Tip: Make sure to wear goggles and gloves to keep yourself safe, especially when handling vinegar and corn syrup.

Step 2: Create the Naked Egg

1. Prepare the Egg:

   • Place the egg in a glass.
   • Carefully pour vinegar over the egg until it is completely submerged. The vinegar will react with the eggshell, causing it to dissolve.

2. Wait:

   • Let the egg sit in the vinegar for 24 to 48 hours. During this time, you'll notice bubbles forming on the egg; this is carbon dioxide being released as the shell dissolves.

3. Rinse the Egg:

   • After the waiting period, gently remove the egg from the vinegar and rinse it under running water. Be careful as the egg will be delicate without its shell.

Common Pitfall: Ensure you rinse the egg thoroughly to remove any residual vinegar which can affect the next steps.

Step 3: Experiment with Osmosis

Now that you have your naked egg, you can observe osmosis by placing it in different solutions.

1. Shrink the Egg:

   • Place the naked egg in a glass filled with corn syrup.
   • Allow it to sit for a few hours.
   • Observe the egg shrinking as water moves out of the egg through osmosis, attempting to balance the concentration of solutes inside and outside of the egg.

2. Grow the Egg:

   • After shrinking the egg, carefully remove it from the corn syrup and rinse it again.
   • Place the egg in a glass of water.
   • Allow it to sit for several hours.
   • Watch as the egg expands, absorbing water through osmosis.

Practical Tip: You can add a few drops of food coloring to the water before placing the egg in to make the experiment visually interesting.

Conclusion

You have successfully created a naked egg and explored the principles of osmosis! This experiment visually demonstrates how osmosis works as water moves in and out of the egg. You can repeat the process with different solutions or even try adding various concentrations of sugar to see how it affects the egg's size. This hands-on activity is a great way to understand basic scientific principles while having fun at home. Happy experimenting!