TESTING EGGS THAT ARE SOAKED IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIQUIDS
Matthew Cinoman
Cary academy
ABSTRACT
The primary purpose of this experiment was to see how different liquids would affect the
egg shells the most in forty eight hours. Another purpose for this experiment was to see
if toothpaste protected the eggs from being altered. It was hypothesized that the vinegar
would affect the egg shells the most and also it was hypothesized that the toothpaste
would protect the egg shells from being changed by the liquids. It was hypothesized
because toothpaste is used on teeth and teeth and egg shells are made up of the same
material (calcium carbonate). If toothpaste protects teeth then it should protect egg
shells. This experiment was performed by placing egg shells in liquid for forty eight
hours and recording the weights and color of the egg shells before and after the
experiment. The data was recorded for each sample of egg shells placed in each liquid.
After forty eight hours of being soaked, the liquids were removed and observed changes
were recorded. The data was recorded to compare the egg shells before and after the
experiment. At the conclusion of all the experiments, the vinegar made the greatest
effect on the egg shells. The toothpaste did protect the egg shells from changing as
much.
INTRODUCTION
This experiment was conducted to see which liquid affects egg shells the most. The
eggs are representing human teeth because both the eggs and teeth are made of the
same thing; calcium carbonate. It was conducted to see which liquid is worst for human
teeth and this experiment is representing teeth with eggs.
Eggs were observed at the beginning of the experiment. The eggs were as white as a
cloud or a whiteboard. The eggs had a slight smell but did not smell like anything in
particular. It was observed that the eggs had a small pocket of air in the bottom and
when pushed on it was easily popped. The eggs were wet and smooth on the inside but
bumpy and warm on the outside. Also it was sticky on the inside because of the yolk
that used to be inside. One interesting thing is that when vinegar was poured on the egg
it started to turn blue. It was averaged that the circumference of the egg is 14
centimeters. The smallest eggs mass is 1.5 grams and it weighs 0.0035 pounds. The
largest egg weighs 0.0095 pounds and its mass was 4.4 grams. The average height for
an egg is 3.3 centimeters tall.
Other than the 20 to 40% water, toothpaste is made of abrasives, fluoride, and
detergents. Abrasives help remove plaque from teeth and they help prevent cavities
from teeth. Fluoride is the most helpful ingredient in toothpaste to prevent cavities.
Detergents are found in most toothpaste brands but not all. They are ingredients in
other products including shampoo.
Soda or soft drinks are non-alcoholic drinks carbonated or noncarbonated. Sodas
typical ingredients are a sweetening agent, edible acids, and either natural or artificial
flavors. “Fizz” is a property of soda that often times happens when you open a soda
can. It happens because of carbonation. Carbonation is the dissolving of carbon
dioxide.
Egg shells are made almost entirely out of calcium carbonate which is what human
teeth are made of. The egg is a semipermeable membrane and that means air and
moisture can come through its pores. Egg shells also have an outer layer called bloom
that keeps out bacteria and dust.
The first layer of an egg is the egg shell and there is the inner and outer layer of the egg
shell. Next on the inside there is exterior albumen and the interior albumen (egg white).
After the albumens comes something called Nucleas of Pander and its only importance
is its nutrition. The germinal disk is a layer that coats the egg yolk. Then there is two
types of yolks, the yellow yolk and the white yolk. After that the Chalaza Chalazae
keeps the egg yolk into place with two twisty lines at the top and bottom of the yolk.
Next there is something called the air cell which forms when the egg cools and heats.
The last layer is the Cuticle which covers the pores.
It was hypothesized that the vinegar will affect the eggs the most. That was predicted
because when vinegar was poured on the egg shell the egg shell started to turn blue. It
was observed that the vinegar is an acid, so it was hypothesized that the more acidic a
liquid is, the more it will affect the egg. If that was true then bases would affect the egg
shells less and a neutral (i.e. water) would have the least affect. Also another
hypothesis is that the toothpaste will protect the eggs from changing color. That was
hypothesized because eggs and teeth are made up of the same material (calcium
carbonate) and people use toothpaste to protect their teeth. If teeth and egg shells are
made of the same material then toothpaste should protect eggs also.
MATERIALS & METHOD

Fifty halves of egg shells

Two cans of coca cola zero

two cans of sprite

a pint of orange juice

Three pints of water

a pint of tea

a pint of chocolate milk

a pint of cool berry gatorade

a pint of lemonade

a pack of sticky notes

two cupcake pans

a sharpie

a pint of vinegar

a bottle of toothpaste

a toothbrush

a pint of chocolate milk

a timer

a pint of cool punch Gatorade

Two liters of original coke

Two liters of mountain dew
The purpose of the first experiment was to see which liquids affected the eggs the
most. The control for this experiment was the water because the water has the most
neutral ph of all the liquids. The independent variable is the type of liquids that the
eggs are soaked in. The dependent variable is the egg shell which was effected by the
different liquid it is soaked in. It was hypothesized that the vinegar would affect the
egg shell the most. It was hypothesized because it was the most acidic of all the
liquids. First put gloves on, second set a timer for exactly forty eight hours. Third pour
the same type of liquid into two of the whole’s in a muffin pan. Next do the third step
over again for all the liquids you are testing. When you are done pouring all your
liquids in, put half of an egg shell in each of the holes in the muffin pan (make sure the
egg shells go in with the pointy side at the bottom). Then start the timer for forty eight
hours. You see which liquids have affected the eggs the most when the timer is up.
Figure 1: First experiment's eggs
The purpose of the follow up experiment was to see if adding toothpaste to the eggs
would help protect them from the liquids. The control is the first experiment because this
is comparing how the liquids look when they have toothpaste on them compared to
when they don’t. The independent variable is the different liquids. The dependent
variable is whether the eggs with toothpaste are less affected by the liquids than the
eggs without the toothpaste. It was hypothesized that the toothpaste would help protect
the eggs from the liquid. For the second experiment you first need to put gloves on.
Then set a timer for forty eight hours but don’t start it yet. Next pour the same liquid into
two holes in the muffin pan. Then brush all the outsides of the egg shells with
toothpaste. When finished brushing them with toothpaste put the eggs into the pan
(pointy side facing the bottom of the muffin pan). Next start the timer for forty eight
hours. When the timer is up, observe the eggs and see which shell is affected differently
when toothpaste was on it compared to when toothpaste wasn’t.
Figure 2: The second experiments eggs with toothpaste. The eggs measured in grams.
The purpose of the third experiment was to test the weight of the eggs (that have
toothpaste on it) in pounds after they have been soaked in the liquid (the liquid which is
different from the first and second experiment). The control for this experiment is the
water soaked egg. The independent variable is the different liquids the eggs are being
soaked in. The dependent variable is to see which egg shell is affected the most. It was
hypothesized that the chocolate milk would affect it the most because the chocolate
would darken the color of the egg very much and it would change the weight by a
noticeable amount. For the final experiment you first need to put gloves on. Then set a
timer for forty eight hours but don’t start it yet. Next pour the same liquid into two holes
in the muffin pan. Then brush all the outsides of the egg shells with toothpaste. When
finished brushing them with toothpaste put the eggs into the pan (pointy side facing the
bottom of the muffin pan). Next start the timer for forty eight hours. When the timer is
up, observe the eggs and see which shell is affected differently when toothpaste was on
it compared to when toothpaste wasn’t.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
In the first experiment that was conducted, the color and the mass of the eggs was
recorded. All of the eggs gained at least 0.2 grams. The egg soaked in orange juice
gained 0.9 grams which is the most massed gained out of all. The vinegar liquid started
out white and changed the color of the egg to brown. The milk, water, and sprite all
didn’t change the color of the egg. Surprisingly none of the eggs lost mass. The results
of the first experiment are shown below.
Type of liquid the egg soaked
The mass of the egg before
The mass of the egg after
Color after
in
soaked (g)
soaked (g)
experiment
Water
3
3.3
White (egg color)
Gatorade (red)
2.8
3.3
Dark red
Orange juice
2.3
3.2
Yellow orange
Vinegar
3.5
3.9
Dark Brown
Milk
3.7
4.2
White (egg color)
Dark brown/ light
Coca-cola zero
2.7
2.9
black
Green tea
2.5
2.9
Dark brown
Sprite
4.1
4.7
White (egg color)
Figure 3: Results of the first experiment
In the second experiment that was conducted the color and the mass of the eggs were
recorded. The color of the eggs in the second experiment were compared to the color of
the eggs in the first experiment. Lots of the colors of the eggs after the experiment are
light or faint. It is inferred they are faint or light because of the toothpaste that was
added. Toothpaste was added to the eggs in the second experiment to see if it
prevented the color changing of the eggs and in the end it did prevent the color from
changing. One interesting observation that was made during the experiment was that
the vinegar somewhat disintegrated the egg and changed the color of the egg to light
brown. Another interesting result, like the first experiment the water and the sprite
stayed egg color but this time the milk was a faint yellow. In the end of the first and
second experiment it was observed that eggs with toothpaste were affected less than
eggs without toothpaste. Below are the results of the second experiment.
Type of liquid egg soaked
The mass of the egg before
The mass of egg after
Color after
in
soaked (g)
soaked (g)
experiment
Water
2.4
2.6
White (egg color)
4
4.7
Light brown
Gatorade
2.2
2
Light red
Green tea
3.4
4
Light green
Coca-cola zero
2.5
3.3
Very light brown
Sprite
4.5
5.2
White (egg color)
Milk
3.3
3.6
Faint yellow
Orange juice
2.4
2.5
Faint orange
Vinegar
Figure four: Results of the second experiment
In the final experiment that was conducted the weight and the color of the eggs were
recorded. At the end of the experiment the color of the eggs were compared to the color
of the egg that was soaked in water. In this experiment the eggs were measured in
pounds. An interesting result was that the mountain dew, Gatorade, chocolate milk, and
coca cola all decreased in weight. It is inferred from this data that the darker the liquid
color and the more acidic the liquid is, the more it will affect the egg.
Type of liquid egg
The weight of egg before The weight of egg after
Color after
soaked in
soaked (lb)
experiment
Water
soaked (lb)
0.0125
0.014
White (egg color)
Dark brown/light
Chocolate milk
0.012
0.0115
black
Lemonade
0.0135
0.0145
White (egg color)
Diet mountain dew
0.0135
0.0129
White (egg color)
0.012
0.011
0.0145
0.0125
Coca cola original
Gatorade ( cool blue)
Light brown
Very faint blue
CONCLUSIONS
At the end of all experiments all of the hypotheses are confirmed to be correct. The first
hypothesis was that vinegar would affect the liquid the most. It is confirmed because the
color of the egg had turned to light brown and the bottom of the egg was starting to
disintegrate. Also it had gained 0.7 grams after forty eight hours. It is inferred that the
egg soaked in vinegar dissolved most because vinegar is very acidic.
The second hypothesis was that the toothpaste would help protect the eggs from being
affected. That was hypothesized because eggs and teeth are made of the same
material (calcium carbonate). People brush their teeth with toothpaste to protect it from
being affected by liquids and foods. If toothpaste protects teeth then they should protect
eggs also. That hypothesis was confirmed to be correct. It is inferred that is correct
because toothpaste is designed to protect calcium carbonate from liquids and foods.
In the third experiment it was hypothesized that chocolate milk would affect the eggs the
most. That hypothesis was correct because it turned the color of the egg brown and the
weight of the egg decreased 0.0005 pounds. It is inferred that the chocolate milk
affected the eggs the most because the color of the liquid is black and the ph is 6.75 so
that is near the acidic level but is nuetral. It was hypothesized that the more acidic a
liquid is the more it will affect the egg shell. That was wrong because the chocolate milk
is not an acid, but it affected the egg shells the most. It is inferred that the darker the
color of the liquid is and the nearer the liquid is to the acidic ph, the more the egg shell
will be affected.
To improve this experiment the mass and weight should be measured before the
experiment. Also eggs should be kept in the same amount of light/darkness that is
because the light might evaporate the liquids quicker than when it is in the dark. Also
make sure that the temperature is exactly the same the whole experiment.
Future experiments could look at to how long it takes the eggs to fully discintegrate.
That would test which liquids not only affect the eggs but disintegrate them. An
interesting experiment would to see if the amount of light and the temperature affected
the what the liquid did to the eggs. For example you have one egg in room temperature
with a normal amount of light. There would be another egg under less or more light and
a hotter or colder temperature.
REFERENCES
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.
Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopedia
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Slavin, Bill. Transformed How Everyday Things Are Made. Toronto. Kids Can Press.
2007. Print.
Spangler, Steve. Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes. Austin: Greenleaf Book Group
Press. 2010. Print
Wikipedia. Toothpaste. Wikipedia. 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.