We had great fun with many Science experiments during Science week. We poked pencils through water, made water walk, walked on eggs and even microwaved soap. The zapped soap did not turn out so well as instead of fluffy white flakes, it turned into burnt soggy mush!! Oh well….that’s the ways some experiments go!! Things don’t always turn out the way you’ve planned.
Question: Why did no water spill out of the bag?
No water spills out the holes because ziploc bags are made of a polymer. Polymers have long chains of molecules that are flexible. When you poke a sharp pencil through the bag, the pencil slides in between the chain of molecules that make up the polymer. The molecule chains make a seal around the pencil that won’t let the water out.
Question: How were we able to walk on eggs without breaking them all?
Eggs are surprisingly strong. Their shape means that they are strongest at the pointy end and the rounded end. The curved shell distributes pressure evenly over the egg. If you hold an egg and squeeze it on the top and bottom, the egg won’t break. But eggs can’t cope with uneven forces, which is why they crack easily on the side of a bowl. The egg box also helps to stop the eggs from breaking. Each egg is supported by the box and kept separate from other eggs.
Try out these websites to see videos of these experiments:
1. Here’s a video of the magic bag experiment.
2. Here is how the microwaved soap should have turned out.
3. Here is the walking on eggs experiment.
Walking on eggs??!! Now I’ve seen everything!