The Shell-Less Egg

Content Area BACKGROUND: In the second experiment Science, The egg is an amazing students view the properties of component. It has the ability to osmosis (water transfer) across Grade/Age sustain and grow a chick embryo the semipermeable egg 3rd - Middle School until hatch time, makes a healthy, membrane. Students’ experiment protein filled breakfast on the run, with their shell-less eggs in Tags or it even has porous properties different solvent combinations. Students determine either by Acid-Base Reactions, that make it ideal for color mass or measurement, that water Osmosis, Chemical changing fun during holidays! moves from high water to low Reactions water concentration, eventually This 2 part lesson will Introduce reaching equilibrium. Learner Outcomes students to Acid Base Reactions and the concept of Osmosis.  Describe acid-base The third experiment, a bonus reactions In the first activity, youth observe experiment, uses gummy bears.  Identify parts of the egg the effects of acid on eggshells. Like the shell-less egg, they and basic functions At the end of the first experiment, demonstrate the properties of  Cite common household students describe what reactions osmosis. This can be used in acids took place. Each youth uses three addition to, or completely  Describe osmosis shell-less eggs for part 2. (We separate from the 2 part  Determine the direction of recommend having 3 shell-less experiment, depending on your water movement from eggs for part 2) time restraints. higher to lower potential  Explain how a semipermeable membrane works

Colorado Academic Standards: Science Third Grade 2. Life Science 1. Organisms have unique and diverse life cycles. Fourth Grade 2. Life Science 1 Organisms have both internal and external structures that serve various functions. Fifth Grade  Physical Science 2. Chemical reactions Colorado State University Extension 4-H Programs are available to all without discrimination.Page OPENING QUESTIONS: molecules FUN FACTS! 1. What are the basic parts of 6. What are some uses for  You can tell if a chicken an egg? (Chicken Egg): Vinegar? Open discussion is going to lay a colored Shell, Membrane, Egg 7. What does vinegar cause? egg or a white egg by White, Yolk, and Air Pocket. Chemical Reactions the color of her ear 8. Does water move freely? lobes. This as a comparison: which  Eggnog is a well-known has a higher concentration beverage made from of water, and which has a eggs and milk. When lower concentration of water making eggnog, eggs on each side of the semi- should be heated to permeable membrane. 160°F (71°C) or you Water will freely move from can use pasteurized high to low. An egg’s shelled eggs or egg concentration of water is products. higher than corn syrup. An  In 2019, it was egg’s concentration of water estimated the average Photo credit: ScienceWorld.ca is lower than tap water. An American ate 289.5 egg has a slightly lower eggs per year. 2. What does a shell do for the concentration of water than  Egg White has long egg? Protection, Holds vinegar. been used as a facial. things in place, etc. 9. What is a pH? What is an  An egg is a single cell. 3. What is a membrane? What acid? What is a base? A The extinct Elephant does it do for the egg? A pH is an acronym for percent Bird from Madagascar membrane is a thin line of Hydrogen (atoms). If there had the largest known cells that surround the fragile are a lot of hydrogen atoms bird egg. The eggs inner components of the in a solution, the solution is weighed 22 pounds. egg. It is semipermeable, acidic. If there is a small They had a 36 inch meaning it will allow certain amount of hydrogen in the diameter, and were 12 solvents to transfer across it. solution, it is basic. The inches tall. It had a 2 4. Why would movement of higher the hydrogen content, gallon volume! ‘something’ through a the lower the pH value, so 0  The Ancient Chinese membrane be important? (the most hydrogen)—6.9 Stored Eggs up to 5. What happens in a chemical (less hydrogen) is acidic. A several years by reaction? A process that pH value of 7 is neutral. immersion in a variety involves the rearranging of Between 7.1 and 14 is basic. of such imaginative mixtures as salt and wet clay; cooked rice, salt and lime; or salt and wood ashes mixed with a tea infusion. They did not taste good by todays standards.  There is no significate difference between white and brown eggs; it is the chicken breed that makes the SPUR SPUR difference.

The Labeled Chicken from Colorado State University Extension, Pueblo County captured 4/9/2020 https:// pueblo.extension.colostate.edu/programs/4-h/4-h-project-areas/livestock/livestock-tests-and-study-guides/ Page 2 DO: SHELL-LESS EGG circumference of the first that occur when ACID / BASE REACTION egg. Use a ruler to find the substances are Time Needed: length of the string. mixed can be Prep: 30 mins 3. Place that egg in a jar and identified by the Rx Time: 7 days label it with the string’s emergence of measurement. substances with Today we are going to talk 4. Repeat step 2 for each different properties; about the egg! Eggs come in additional egg. the total mass many shapes and sizes, but 5. Cover the eggs with vinegar remains the same. most all contain the same basic and store in a safe place. Middle School parts. You should see bubbles  Physical Science  Shell: Outer hard surface of the forming on the shell.  When two objects egg made primarily of calcium interact, each one carbonate crystals. exerts a force on the  Membrane: Layer of cells under other that can cause the shell that surround the inner energy to be fragile parts of the egg. Allows transferred to and transfer of solvents and air across from the object.

the membrane (semipermeable). POWER WORDS  Air Pocket: A sac of air within the egg used by chick upon final  acid: a chemical compound that tastes development. Photo credit: Stephanie Lamm sour and forms a water  Egg White: The clear, viscous solution which turns blue substance around the yolk of an 6. The next day, use the big litmus paper red egg that turns white when cooked  base: a chemical that or beaten. spoon to scoop out each egg from the vinegar. has a pH above 7.  Egg Yolk: Yellow portion of egg Usually substances like filled with protein and fat. 7. Pour out the old vinegar and place the egg back in the ammonia, bleach, or In todays experiment, we are baking soda. going to look at acid/base jar. 8. Cover the egg/s with fresh  chemical reaction: a chemical reactions. process that involves Specifically vinegar (an acid) vinegar and store in a safe place. rearrangement of the and how it affects an egg’s molecular or ionic shell. 9. Every morning, check on the state of the egg/s structure of a substance, as opposed to a change Materials: without taking out of the jar, for about 3–7 days. *You in physical form.  Large mouth pint or quart  circumference: the mason jar (1 per egg) only need to replace the vinegar after the first day. enclosing boundary of a  White vinegar (enough to 10. After a week, the egg/s curved geometric figure cover eggs plus a generous  Rx: reaction amount in addition) should be translucent but still pretty much egg- abbreviation  Raw egg/s in shell/s shaped.  water potential: a  Mixing spoon 11. Carefully measure the measure of how freely  Tape and pen to label circumference of the middle water molecules can  Flexible measuring tape OR portion of the egg/s and move in a particular string and ruler environment or system record.

Procedure (Do for each egg): Teacher Tip! 1. Designate a “vinegar Do not break the eggs; Make several extra “shell- pouring station” to avoid you need them for less eggs” to use as a vinegar waste. the experiment! control in the next activity. 2. Use a string to measure the

Page 3 REFLECT: gently shake the egg, you can  What occurs between the see the yolk sloshing around in CHICKEN and EGG vinegar and the egg? the white. If the membrane JOKES  When you first covered your tears, the egg contents will spill just as a normal cracked egg, Q: The egg police entered egg with vinegar, what were the crime scene. They the bubbles on the shell’s however the egg will taste ‘pickled’ if cooked* (*perfectly stood horrified at the surface? What evidence is atrocity committed there of chemical change? acceptable if kids want to taste a Fully Cooked, pickled egg). against the egg victim.  What reaction is involved to What was the crime? make the shell dissolve? A: Poaching!  What helps keep the egg’s insides from pouring out? Q: What does a meditation  Is there a difference egg say? between the size of the egg A: OHM-let! at the beginning and at the end of the experiment? What Note to Teachers: Younger Q: Who tells the funniest do you think caused this students may think that the egg jokes? change? outer shell has "transformed" A: A Comedi—hen! into the membrane. Remind Explanation: them that the outer shell and the Q: How can you drop an Describe an acid base reaction inner membrane are two egg 6 feet without and what effects took place to completely different layers. breaking it? egg shell. When you submerge A: By dropping it seven feet. It won’t break for an egg in vinegar, the shell APPLY AND EXTEND: dissolves, leaving the inner the first six feet! Take this experiment to the next semi-permeable membrane level! Try these fun ideas to intact. At a party, a magician was extend the learning for this producing egg after egg activity. Vinegar, the acid, breaks apart from a little boy’s ear.  Try using different acid and the solid calcium carbonate “There!” he said proudly. “I base solutions. Compare the crystals (base) in the eggshell, bet your Mom can’t effects of vinegar, plain separating them down to their produce eggs without hens, water, cola, and orange juice calcium and carbonate parts. can she?” on the eggshell. What do the The calcium ions stay dissolved “Oh yes, she can,” said the three liquids have in in the vinegar (calcium ions are boy. “She keeps ducks.” common? What about atoms that are missing some or baking soda? (WARNING: all of their electrons), while the Q: What happens when Never use bleach and carbonate molecules go on to you tell an egg a joke? ammonia. If you mix them, make carbon dioxide gas. This A: It cracks-up! they react to make a is released in the form of the poisonous gas that can kill bubbles that were noticed both Q: Why did the chicken you. One or the other should on the shell and in the solution cross the road? only be used in the presence of vinegar within the first 24hrs A: To get to the other side! of an adult!) How do they of the egg being submerged in differ? the acid. Q: Why did the chicken  Repeat the same experiment cross the playground? The acidic vinegar breaks down with a hard-boiled egg. The A: To get to the other the shell but leaves the eggshell will dissolve in the slide! membrane that lines the inside same way, leaving behind a of the shell intact. Some of the rubbery egg that should Q: Why did the chicken vinegar will cross the membrane actually bounce as long as it cross the internet? and cause the egg to swell is only dropped from less A: To get to the other site! slightly. This is osmosis. If you than 50cm.

Page 4 DO: SHELL-LESS EGG eggs. POWER WORDS OSMOSIS  Label each jar with one of  diffusion: the process Time Needed: the following: Control of a substance Prep: 30 mins (water), Corn Syrup, Sugar. spreading out to evenly Rx Time: 12 hours fill its container or Analyze: 20 mins environment in order to obtain equilibrium (does In todays experiment, we are not require a going to look at your egg’s membrane) membrane and see how  equilibrium: a state in osmosis occurs. which opposing forces or influences are Materials: balanced or equal  3 large mouth quart mason  osmosis: process by jar (1 per egg) which water passes through a membrane  3 shell-less eggs from part 1  Cover each egg with the from a high  Corn syrup - enough to labeled solution. Place in the concentration into a cover 1 egg refrigerator. lower concentration,  50% sucrose (sugar)  Leave eggs fully submerged thus equalizing the solution (½ cup sugar overnight or for a minimum amounts of water on dissolved into 1 cup of of 12hrs. each side of the boiling water)  After 12hrs, scoop out egg membrane.  Kitchen scale or string and and observe the changes.  semipermeable: ruler  Weigh the egg again and material or membrane,  Tape to label each jar record the differences. allowing certain  Pencil, pen, or marker substances to pass  Large spoon that fits into the REFLECT: jar mouth through it but not  Why is your naked egg that others, especially Procedure: was soaked in vinegar allowing the passage of  Designate a “corn syrup and bigger than a shelled egg? a solvent but not of sugar solution pouring  Why does the egg in corn certain solutes. station” on your counter or syrup change shape and  solute: the minor desk to avoid waste. weight? component in a  To make your sugar  Does the egg soaked in solution, dissolved in solution, add 1 cup of water water change shape and the solvent. in a sauce pan and heat to weight?  solution: a liquid boiling. Once boiling, slowly  What happened to the egg mixture in which the add sugar and stir. Continue soaked in the sugar minor component (the until all 1/2 cup sugar is solution? solute) is uniformly dissolved while boiling/  What is the purpose of a distributed within the stirring. Set aside and semipermeable membrane? major component (the completely cool before What does it do for the egg? solvent). beginning experiment.  What could you do to return  water potential: the  Carefully dry each the egg to its original form? tendency of water to egg. Weigh and record the move initial weight. If you do not from have a kitchen scale you can one measure the circumference area to of the egg with a string and another ruler.  Place 1 egg in 1 pint/quart jar. Repeat for other 2 Photo credit: ScienceWorld.ca Page 5 Explanation: the corn syrup, do not pass Osmosis is a process where through the membrane. water moves through the use of water potential and a Students may have noticed that membrane. It is a special case the egg expanded in the initial of diffusion; which is the vinegar solution when they spreading of any substance dissolved the shell. This is from a higher concentration to a because the vinegar has a lower concentration and no higher concentration of water membrane need be present. than the inside of the egg. To reach equilibrium, water In our experiment, water moves molecules moved from the across the egg’s vinegar into the egg through the FUN FACTS! semipermeable membrane semipermeable membrane. If  It takes a hen between until it reaches the membrane were completely 24 and 26 hours to equilibrium. Simply stated, if permeable, water molecules develop an egg. Once there is a selectively permeable would move in and protein she lays an egg, the membrane separating two would move out until both development of a new different concentrations of solutions were the same egg normally starts solutes in a solution, water concentration. Since the egg within 30 minutes. will move from the side with the membrane is semi-permeable,  Chickens don’t produce least number of solutes to the water can move in but proteins one egg at a time. side with the greatest number of cannot move out. Instead, producing hens solutes. The higher water normally have several potential is the side of the When a shell-less egg is placed eggs in various stages membrane with the fewest in the corn syrup, the egg will of development. solutes. The lower water shrink. This is also due to  The hen’s diet potential is the side of the osmosis, but in the opposite determines the color of membrane with the most direction. The corn syrup is the yolk. Some solutes. This can be confusing. mostly sugar. It has a lower producers feed natural supplements like Remember that osmosis is marigold petals so that simply the movement of their hens lay eggs with water from a solution of brighter yolks. high water content toward a  Because older eggs solution of lower water have larger air cells, content until the water is they’re much easier to equally shared between the peel than fresh eggs. two solutions.  Can’t tell if that egg in the refrigerator is raw or After dissolving the hardboiled? Try eggshell, students are left spinning it! Raw eggs with a membrane that holds wobble as the liquid the insides of the egg. This inside shifts, but membrane is selectively hardboiled eggs spin permeable. This means smoothly. that it lets some molecules move through it and blocks Farmer’s Almanac: https:// out other molecules. Water, www.farmersalmanac.com/ however, can move 15-egg-facts-you-may-not- through the membrane know-21232 easily. Bigger molecules, like the sugar molecules in

Page 6 concentration of water than the happens. Try food coloring, CHICKEN ID egg. To reach equilibrium, salt water, etc... On page 2, there was a osmosis causes the water  Try returning the shriveled diagram of a rooster and molecules to move out of the egg that was in the corn hen, labeling the different egg and into the corn syrup until syrup back to normal. chicken parts. Identify the both solutions have the same Carefully lift the flabby egg following terms on the hen concentration of water. The from the corn syrup and in the image on this page: outward movement of water place it in a container of  head and neck causes the egg to shrivel. water. Leave the egg in the ○ earlobe water for 24 hours. Osmosis ○ ear APPLY AND EXTEND: will occur! After 24 hours, ○ comb Take this experiment to the egg will be plump again! ○ eye the next level! Try these fun  Draw diagrams of each jar ○ beak ideas to extend the learning for and the directions osmosis is ○ throat wattle this activity. occurring. Did osmosis occur ○ neck feathers  Try submerging your shell- with the vinegar from part 1? ○ cape less eggs in other liquids. Diagram that movement as  body Make hypothesis about well. ○ back which direction water will ○ sweep of back travel and see what ○ fluff ○ breast ○ cushion  wing ○ wing bow ○ wing coverts ○ primaries ○ secondaries  tail feathers ○ main tail ○ tail coverts  leg and foot ○ hock ○ thigh ○ shank ○ toe ○ spur ○ toe nail ○ web

Page 7 DO: BONUS ACTIVITY! Syrup, Salt. OSMOSIS GUMMY BEAR SCIENCE! 5. Cover each gummy bear Osmosis is a special case Time Needed: with the labeled solution. of diffusion. Prep: 30 mins *Salt solution must be cool  Diffusion is the free Rx Time: 12 hours to avoid melting the gummy movement of molecules bear! Place in a safe spot. from a high For younger kids or those 6. Leave bears fully submerged concentration to low looking to continue their fun with for a few hours. We don’t concentration. osmosis, try this similar recommend waiting longer  Free movement means experiment with gummy bears! than 12 hrs. that no energy is You can also mix up your 7. After 12 hours, observe required for movement. solutions and experiment with changes in gummy bears. what direction water will flow in You may scoop them out Diffusion makes sense. other types of mixtures. and place them side by side  You are in a room and to compare sizes. someone peels an Materials: 8. Hand out paper and colors orange. You can smell  Large mouth pint mason jar to have youth outline a the orange. The smell (1 per gummy bear) control (non soaked gummy diffuses through the air.  At least 4 gummy bears bear), and then outline the  You have a cup of  Corn Syrup - enough to other experimental gummies water, and add some cover each gummy bear under the control to compare food color, at first the  Highly concentrated salt size changes. Label each color swirls in the water, solution bear’s solution name. but eventually spreads  Tape out evenly in the entire  4 marker colors for outlining REFLECT: cup of water. The color  Large spoon  What is a control? Which diffuses in water. gummy bear was our Make a prediction about what control? Without the semi- direction water will flow in each  What happened to the other permeable membrane, the of your solutions; into or out of gummy bears? (Discuss solutes in water (or any the gummy bear? Write these individually) other liquid) would move down for review at the end of  What direction/s was water from a high concentration the experiment! moving? to low concentration of solutes. Eventually the  What could we do to return Procedure: solutes (salt or sugar in our the gummy bears to their example) will be distributed 1. Designate a “corn syrup and original sizes? salt solution pouring station.” uniformly throughout the water. 2. To make your salt solution, Explanation: add 1 cup of water in a Osmosis is a process where Osmosis requires a semi- sauce pan and heat to water moves from high boiling. Once boiling, slowly permeable membrane. concentration to a low The membrane allows add salt and stir. Continue concentration in the solutions. It until salt will no longer water to move through, but is a special case of diffusion; blocks any solutes (like dissolve while boiling/ which is the spreading of any stirring. Set aside and sugar or salt dissolved in substance from a higher the water. Water will move completely cool before concentration to a lower beginning experiment. into a higher concentration concentration and no of solutes. 3. Place 1 gummy bear in 1 membrane need be present. pint jar. Repeat for other Note: Some expansion gummy bears. In this experiment, the gummy may be noted with the salt 4. Label each jar with one of bear is more sugar than water solution since you might not the following: Control (No containing, Therefore, higher be able to completely satu- solution), Water, Corn water containing solutions rate the solution with salt.

Page 8 should travel into the gummy bear (expanding it) while high sugar or AUTHOR: salt containing solutions should, ideally, not have a large effect on the  Stephanie Lamm, STEM/ size of the gummy bear. K12 Agent CSU Extension - TRA Area APPLY: Guide your sibling or parent to ACKNOWLDGMENTS: do the Gummy Bear Science  Dr. Barbara Shaw, Ph.D. experiment. Help your “student” Youth Development 4-H understand the experiment by STEM K-12 Specialist explaining what happened. CSU Extension - WR  Chicken and Egg images: Kate Edmunds REFERENCES:  The Incredible Edible Egg™ Eggcyclopedia. (n.d.) (5th ed.). doi: American Egg Board  Naked Eggs: Acid-Base Reaction. (n.d.). Re- trieved from https:// www.scienceworld.ca/ resource/naked-eggs- acid-base-reaction/  Naked Eggs: Osmosis. (n.d.). Retrieved from https:// www.scienceworld.ca/ resource/naked-eggs- osmosis/  Shaw, B. J. (2005). Os- mosis Lab.doc; Portland State University. “The Great Gummy Bear Migration” by Stephanie Lamm Supplemental Information Activity 1 & 2 Worksheet: The worksheet for these activities can be downloaded from our website: Contact: www.tra.extension.colostate.edu Please click the below link to be di- Stephanie Lamm rected to our STEM Teacher Resources - STEM/K12 Agent - TRA Extension where you can download a Word or PDF ver- sion of the worksheets that follow along with 970-249-3935 this Lesson Plan. [email protected] https://tra.extension.colostate.edu/stem- tra.extension.colostate.edu teacher-resources/

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