Did you ever wonder why it’s easier to float in the ocean than in a freshwater lake or pool? The “egg-speriment” will help to uncover the magic of floating in salt water.
What you need:
- 2 raw eggs
- 12 tablespoons or more of salt
- 2 glasses of water
What you do:
- Fill 2 glasses with water.
- Add 10-12 tablespoons of salt to one glass and stir thoroughly.
- Lower an egg into the fresh water glass – gently! Notice what happens.
- Gently lower an egg into the salt water glass. How is this different?
Why does it work?
In the fresh water (no salt) the egg sinks. Salt makes the water denser and easier for objects to float on. The denser the liquid, the greater its upward lift (buoyancy).
Want to learn more? Experiment and discover…
Start with fresh water and an egg. Add salt water with the egg already in the cup. Stir carefully! As you add salt, the egg will begin to float higher and higher.
Start with salt water and a floating egg. Gently add fresh water on top of the floating egg. What does the egg do now?
When you add fresh water to the very salty water, the fresh water floats on top. Because of these two layers, the egg sinks through the fresh water and is suspended in the middle on top of the salt water. Very cool!!
