x
Breaking News
More () »

Science Geeks: An Egg-cellent Density Experiment

Find out how water density impacts buoyancy.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Welcome back to News 2 Science Geeks! 

It's a new weekly segment that gives you some easy-to-do science experiments during this period of staying at home. Have fun, and let us know if you try this one out. This week we're going to make a raw egg float in water.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

  • A raw egg (still in shell)
  • 2 cups
  • Salt
  • Tap Water

FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

  1. Fill a cup with regular tap water
  2. Fill a cup with a salt/tap water mix. Use a lot of salt.
  3. Put the egg in the regular tap water glass and see what happens.
  4. Then take the egg out and put it in the saltwater mix. Check out what happens!

Notice the egg floated in the salt water mixture but sank in the regular tap water.

WHY DID IT WORK?

Density! The salt water has more "stuff" in it than the regular tap water. In other words, it's more dense - there are more molecules packed into the same volume container. The higher density water makes it harder for the egg to pass through it, so it just floats. Another way to look at density is to compare a wall to the air. A wall is very dense, so it can support a lot of weight. Air is not nearly as dense, so things can easily pass through it.

We hope you enjoyed this week’s experiment!

RELATED: Eeeew! Create tooth decay in a jar with the News 2 Science Geeks

RELATED: Make a volcano at home with News 2 Science Geeks!

RELATED: Make water come out of thin air with the News 2 Science Geeks

RELATED: Try the boiled egg trick with the News 2 Science Geeks

Stay connected to local, national and breaking news: Download the new WFMY News 2 app. 

Text the keyword APP to 336-379-5775

DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE

DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE

►For the latest weather conditions and forecast text the keyword WEATHER to 336-379-5775

►For local news stories right to your phone text the keyword NEWS to 336-379-5775

►Need our Call for Action Team? Text keyword CFA to 336-379-5775

►For traffic alerts text the word TRAFFIC to 336-379-5775

Before You Leave, Check This Out