Science Projects on Peeling Raw Eggs
It is more difficult to peel a raw egg than a boiled one, but it's not impossible. All you need is a lidded jar, a raw egg and a bottle of clear vinegar. Fill the jar with vinegar and then carefully place your egg inside. Close the jar and leave it for 24 to 48 hours. Do not open or move it. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which will dissolve the egg's shell over time. You can watch the egg and record any observations you notice as it changes. If you want, you can pour out the old vinegar after 24 hours and refill the jar with a fresh solution, leaving your egg for up to a week. Once the shell is dissolved, you can perform other science experiments.
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Comparisons
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Your egg will be a translucent white and yellow color once the shell is gone. You can compare your naked egg to a shelled egg--in size, color and texture. You can also compare your egg to a peeled hard-boiled egg and jot down any differences you see. Turn out the lights and shine a torch through your naked egg. Record what you see and whether light passes through the egg. Do the same for the hard-boiled egg and record your observations. Leave your naked egg out over time. Does it become more or less translucent? Take pictures as your egg changes and include them as part of your science project.
Bouncy Ball
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Put six eggs inside jars filled with vinegar. Take out the first egg on Day 2, the second on Day 3, and so on. When you take each egg out, try bouncing it on the ground. Find out which egg makes the best bouncy ball. Squeeze each egg in your hand to see which one is harder. Record any observations about whether your egg bounces better after it has been in vinegar longer.
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Membrane Permeability
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Without a shell, your naked egg should be larger than a normal boiled egg. This is because vinegar can now move through the egg, making it swell. You can test other liquids to see what else will move through the egg's membrane. Pour your liquid inside a beaker and add food coloring. Mix it and then add your egg. Leave it for a few hours and then check your results. If your egg is now the same color as the food coloring, then the egg membrane is permeable to that liquid. If it has not changed color, then the liquid cannot pass through it.
Density
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Drop your egg into a beaker of water and jot down whether it floats or sinks. Then, fill 1/4 of a dry empty glass with salt. Add a few teaspoons of water, only enough to wet all the salt. Place your egg on the wet salt layer and then slowly add more water without letting any of it touch your egg directly. Do not move your beaker. Use a rubber band to tie cellophane around the top. Observe what happens over time and record whether the egg rises or stays sunk. Salt makes water more dense, and over time, your egg should rise slowly.
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References
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