How to Make an Egg Float
Fill a tall glass with water., Stir in plenty of salt., Drop in an egg., Slowly pour tap water on top., Learn about the chemistry., Try adding more salt.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Fill a tall glass with water.
Leave some space at the top, but don't drop the egg in yet.
Since an egg is denser than plain water, it would just sink.
Density describes how much "stuff" (mass) is pressed into a space (volume).
If you pick up two objects the same size, the one that feels heavier is denser. -
Step 2: Stir in plenty of salt.
Stir about 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) of salt into the glass of water.
Keep stirring until almost all the salt dissolves. (You should see almost no salt crystals at the bottom of the glass.) When salt dissolves in water, it "sticks" to the water molecules, fitting between them and even pulling them closer together.
This means the mass increases, but the volume stays about the same. , The saltwater you made is denser than the glass of plain water was.
If you added enough salt, the water is now denser than the egg.
Test this by gently dropping the egg into the glass of water.
If the water is denser, the egg will float.
If the egg doesn't float, add more salt.
Make sure to stir until the salt is dissolved. , If you pour the tap water in gently, it will sit on top of the saltwater without mixing together.
The egg is lighter than the saltwater but denser than the tap water, so it will float in the middle of the glass!, Here's a more complete explanation: when table salt (chemical formula NaCl) dissolves in water, it breaks apart into two atoms: sodium (Na+) and chlorine (Cl-).
The + and
- symbols tell you that these atoms are "ions," meaning they have an electric charge.
Since the opposite ends of a water molecule also have electric charges, the ions attract the water molecules closer and form a tight connection., If adding more salt makes the mixture denser, can you keep going? Could you add so much salt that a hammer could float on the water? Think about it (or test it), then click here to see the answer. -
Step 3: Drop in an egg.
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Step 4: Slowly pour tap water on top.
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Step 5: Learn about the chemistry.
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Step 6: Try adding more salt.
Detailed Guide
Leave some space at the top, but don't drop the egg in yet.
Since an egg is denser than plain water, it would just sink.
Density describes how much "stuff" (mass) is pressed into a space (volume).
If you pick up two objects the same size, the one that feels heavier is denser.
Stir about 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) of salt into the glass of water.
Keep stirring until almost all the salt dissolves. (You should see almost no salt crystals at the bottom of the glass.) When salt dissolves in water, it "sticks" to the water molecules, fitting between them and even pulling them closer together.
This means the mass increases, but the volume stays about the same. , The saltwater you made is denser than the glass of plain water was.
If you added enough salt, the water is now denser than the egg.
Test this by gently dropping the egg into the glass of water.
If the water is denser, the egg will float.
If the egg doesn't float, add more salt.
Make sure to stir until the salt is dissolved. , If you pour the tap water in gently, it will sit on top of the saltwater without mixing together.
The egg is lighter than the saltwater but denser than the tap water, so it will float in the middle of the glass!, Here's a more complete explanation: when table salt (chemical formula NaCl) dissolves in water, it breaks apart into two atoms: sodium (Na+) and chlorine (Cl-).
The + and
- symbols tell you that these atoms are "ions," meaning they have an electric charge.
Since the opposite ends of a water molecule also have electric charges, the ions attract the water molecules closer and form a tight connection., If adding more salt makes the mixture denser, can you keep going? Could you add so much salt that a hammer could float on the water? Think about it (or test it), then click here to see the answer.
About the Author
Paul Burns
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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