Making Rubber Eggs

This is a really cool science activity that involves dissolving egg shells and then experimenting with the membrane that remains around the egg. It does take several days and a few changes of the vinegar but the results are worth the wait. It also makes good use of those extra eggs grandma bought for preparing the holiday dinner.

You will need:

Eggs, small jars, vinegar, and corn syrup.

Now try this:

1. Place whole egg inside the small glass jar (you may use a hard boiled egg or uncooked egg, I prefer the uncooked egg).
    

2. Completely cover the egg with vinegar. Observe tiny bubbles forming on the egg.
    

3. Allow the vinegar-egg mixture to react for at least two days. Replace the vinegar every day.
    

4. Feel the egg, if it feels "rubbery" remove the egg and rinse carefully under water.
    

5. Play a little with the egg, squeeze it lightly. Be careful if the egg is not cooked it will break apart easily.
    

6. Place the "rubbery" egg back into the glass jar and completely cover with corn syrup.
    

7. Allow the syrup-egg mixture to "react" for at least one day. Remove egg and rinse and observe how the egg has changed.
   What is happening?

The vinegar is a weak acid solution called acetic acid. This acetic acid dissolves the calcium carbonate egg shell. What remains on the egg is just it's membrane. This membrane will allow water molecules to pass through. When the egg is placed into corn syrup, the water molecules in the egg white passes through the membrane into the corn syrup, causing the egg to get smaller. Try putting this egg back into water, what happens?