“Rubber egg“ from the “Chemistry of eggs“ set
Channel: MEL Chemistry
Date: 2018-04-18

Perform this amazing experiment at home with MEL Science: https://melscience.com/en/experiments/egg-in-acid/

Safety
* Put on protective gloves and eyewear.
* Conduct the experiment on the plastic tray.

Disposal
* Pour solutions down the sink.
* Wash away with an excess of water.

Step-by-step instructions
1. Egg shell consists mostly of calcium carbonate CaCO₃, which readily reacts with many acids. We’ll use acetic acid, which is the main component of vinegar.
2. The reaction between acid and calcium carbonate produces carbon dioxide CO₂ gas. Its bubbles force the egg out of the solution. Let’s push it back down to completely immerse the egg in acid and wait some time.
3. Calcium acetate is obtained in this reaction; it is highly soluble in water. That’s why almost nothing remains from the egg shell. Rinse off what is left with water. Here is your “rubber” egg!
4. If the shell is very thick or the egg is very large, the amount of acid used might be insufficient to completely remove the shell. In this case immerse the egg in fresh vinegar and wait a bit more