Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => Science Experiments => Topic started by: thedoc on 20/03/2013 18:07:36

Title: Shelless Eggs - Kitchen Science
Post by: thedoc on 20/03/2013 18:07:36

Make a bizzare, shelless, raw egg in this easy experiment.

Read more about this kitchen science experiment. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/kitchenscience/exp/shelless-eggs/)

[chapter podcast=2125 track=09.11.08/Naked_Scientists_Show_09.11.08_4935.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) Listen to the Experiment[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/09.11.08/Naked_Scientists_Show_09.11.08_4935.mp3)

Title: Shelless Eggs - Kitchen Science
Post by: daveshorts on 25/11/2009 15:30:51

Randy Hirsch sent us this image of his eggs:
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He also adds:

How is it that the membrane seems to be uni-directional: it takes up the vinegar and swells, but when I removed it from the solution, it seems to keep this same size; perhaps a little liquid is "oozing" back out, but it's retained this size for several days now.  I wonder how useful this membrane might be as an osmotic filter?

 In particular, a friend gave me a hydrogen fuel cell toy car: I'd like to try to build my own hydrogen fuel cell, but it seems the most difficult component to procure is the membrane that allows hydrogen ions to pass (I believe this is the process if memory serves) from one side of the cell to the other, completing the electrical circuit, but keeping the hydrogen and oxygen sides separated.  I wonder if an egg membrane might work?
 
Really enjoy the show - please keep up the good work.

Title: Shelless Eggs - Kitchen Science
Post by: daveshorts on 25/11/2009 15:37:08

I think you are right, the membrane is an osmotic filter, so water flows into the more concentrated solution in the egg. Many organic membranes are partially permiable to water and not salts. It is quite thick, so I have no idea how well it would work in a fuel cell though, I am also not sure if it is exactly what you want.

 In a fuel cell you want charged species to be able to pass through but not uncharged ones. where as in osmosis, it is the other way around... H⁺ might well be small enough to get through anyway, but it isn't obvious to me.

Title: None
Post by: CC on 23/01/2010 13:38:05

Once the egg shell is dissolved and the egg is full of vinegar, try submersing it in corn syrup. The skin of the egg is poruous, and initially the vinegar flows in due to the concentration gradient. The pores are too small to allow the larger sugar molecules in, so the vinegar flows out due to the concentration gradient. The vinegar also changes the shape of the proteins in the egg, therefore the consistency of the egg's contents changes.

Title: None
Post by: CC on 23/01/2010 13:38:38

Once the egg shell is dissolved and the egg is full of vinegar, try submersing it in corn syrup. The skin of the egg is poruous, and initially the vinegar flows in due to the concentration gradient. The pores are too small to allow the larger sugar molecules in, so the vinegar flows out due to the concentration gradient. The vinegar also changes the shape of the proteins in the egg, therefore the consistency of the egg's contents changes.

Title: None
Post by: Tatiana on 06/02/2011 01:15:57

I am doing this for my science fair project and i also have to do a writen report on this.. on my report it asks me: what do you hope to accomplish by doing this projec and how might this project help you, your family, community, world, etc.. i need help because im not really sure how this might help me!