Food Science

Today we did some experiments with food as we review some basic scientific principles (acids and magnets). In one case, we submerged an egg in vinegar for several days. When you submerge an egg in vinegar, the shell dissolves. Vinegar contains acetic acid. The acid breaks apart the eggshell which is made of solid calcium carbonate crystals. The calcium ions (ions are atoms missing electrons) float free, while the carbonate goes to make carbon dioxide — when you first put the egg in the vinegar, you can see the carbon dioxide in the form of bubbles rising from the egg.

In the second case, we took crushed Total cereal and held a magnet above it. We watched the flakes move toward the magnet. Then we let it dissolve in a bag of water. And, we used the magnet again to gather up the iron shavings. The black stuff you see in the photo is the iron that separated from the cereal. It actually stood up like shavings do when the magnet was above it. Maybe instead of eating iron fortified cereal, we should just have a spoonful of iron shavings (that is what it is anyway!)








If you want to try these experiments, go to

www.funology.com/laboratory/lab025 and

www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000034