Physical Science | Unit 1 | Physical and Chemical Changes

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Eggcellent!
Materials long-handled spoon raw eggs, 2 sugar cubes, 8 wide-mouthed clear cups, 4 white vinegar, 2 cups water, 2 cups plastic wrap measuring cups Science Notebook Procedure 1. Use the spoon to place one egg in each of 2 cups, being careful not to crack the eggs. 2. Carefully measure 1 cup of white vinegar and pour it into one of the cups with an egg. Only pour the amount needed to cover the egg. Note how much liquid it takes to cover the egg and write this amount down in your Science Notebook, so you can use the same amount in the next few steps. The vinegar should cover the egg completely. If you are using larger cups, 1 cup of vinegar might not cover the egg completely. Continue to add measured amounts of vinegar until the egg is completely immersed. Be sure to measure the total volume of liquid used to cover the egg, so the same amount of liquid can be used in the other cups for comparison. This will ensure that differences in results for the different liquids are not due to differences in the amount of liquid. 3. Observe the surface of the egg closely to see if anything happens there. Write down your observations in your Science Notebook. 4. Measure 1 cup of room temperature water and pour it into the other cup with an egg, completely immersing the egg. Pour the same amount of water over this egg as the amount of vinegar you used in step 2. As before, observe the surface of the egg. 5. Cover the tops of both the cups with plastic wrap. 6. Record your observations for both cups in your Science Notebook. 7. Place 4 sugar cubes in each of the remaining 2 cups. 8. Slowly pour the same volume of vinegar you used in step 2 into one of the cups with sugar cubes. Watch closely what happens to the cubes. 9. Pour an identical volume of water into the other cup with sugar cubes. Again, watch what happens to the cubes. 10. Cover the tops of these cups with plastic wrap. Store at room temperature. 11. Record your observations for both cups in your Science Notebook. 12. Continue to observe each cup periodically for the next 4 days. In your Science Notebook, write down what you see, including any changes you see in the liquids around the egg or the sugar (if any remains).

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Physical Science | Unit 1 | Physical and Chemical Changes

Eggcellent!
Analysis An eggshell is mainly composed of the compound known as calcium carbonate. When calcium carbonate comes in contact with vinegar (acetic acid), it forms calcium acetate and bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. Here is the reaction: 2 CH3COOH + CaCO3 vinegar + eggshell (CH3COO)2Ca + CO2 + H2O calcium acetate + carbon dioxide + water

Questions 1. Explain what you observed when you added the liquids to each cup. 2. Explain what you observed in each cup after 2 days had passed. 3. Which of the cups demonstrated a chemical change? A physical change? No change? 4. After 4 days, the eggshell should no longer be present in the vinegar. What happened to the shell? What did you observe that convinced you of this? 5. After about 1 day the sugar cubes should no longer be present in either solution. What happened to the sugar? 6. When an eggshell comes in contact with vinegar (acetic acid) it forms calcium acetate and bubbles of carbon dioxide. Identify the main products and reactants in this reaction. 7. Why was the result different between the water that contained the eggshell and the water that contained the sugar? Extension If you have time, repeat the experiment starting with cold vinegar and water and then warm vinegar and water. Do the bubbles form faster on the egg in the cold vinegar or the warm vinegar? Does the sugar dissolve faster in the cold liquid or the warm liquid?

2005 K12 Inc. All rights reserved. Copying or distributing without K12s written consent is prohibited.

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