DeAnna&Von&Halle&

Discrepant&Event&
TEDU&517&
Salt%Water%Egg:%Sink%or%Float?%
Student&Handout&
&
Prediction%
What&do&you&think&will&happen?&
&

%
Round&1&
Fresh&water&

Observation%
What&did&happen?&

Explanation&
Why&did&it&happen?&

Round&2&
Salt&water&

Explanation&
Why&did&it&happen?%

Round&3&
Half&&&half&

Explanation&
Why&did&it&happen?%

%
&
&

%
Density&
&
Density&is&the&amount&of&matter&(stuff)&in&a&space.&In&the&first&glass&of&fresh&water,&the&

egg&is&denser&than&the&water.&When&the&egg&is&added&to&the&water,&it&pushes&the&particles&of&
water&out&of&the&way&and&sinks&to&the&bottom.&When&we&add&salt&to&water,&the&salt&gets&
mixed&in&and&the&water&becomes&denser&than&the&egg.&This&is&why&the&egg&floats&in&the&salt&
water.&The&egg&is&not&dense&enough&to&push&away&the&particles&of&the&salt&water&and&so&it&is&
cradled&on&top&and&floats.&In&the&half&and&half&mixture,&the&dense&salt&water&stays&on&the&
bottom&and&the&less&dense&freshwater&floats&on&top.&The&egg&is&suspended&in&the&middle&
because&it&is&less&dense&than&the&salt&water,&but&denser&than&the&fresh&water.&We&experience&
the&difference&of&water&when&we&swim&or&take&a&bath.&Next&time&you&are&swimming&at&the&
ocean&or&in&a&pool,&pay&attention&to&how&you&float&and&see&if&you&can&tell&a&difference!&

DeAnna&Von&Halle&
Discrepant&Event&&
TEDU&517&
Salt%Water%Egg:%Sink%or%Float?%
Teacher&Handout&
&
Materials%
1&raw&egg&
1&clear&container,&preferably&plastic&
Spoon&
Salt&
Water,&in&a&pitcher&or&large&bottle&
Sink&or&area&to&dispose&of&some&salt&water&
&
Overview%of%Information%
Have&you&ever&noticed&how&it&seems&easier&to&float&in&salty&seawater&than&in&a&freshwater?&
This&phenomenon&is&due&to&differences&in&the&density&of&fresh&water&and&salt&water.&Density&
refers&to&the&amount&of&matter&in&a&given&space.&When&there&is&more&matter&in&the&space,&the&
object&is&denser.&When&there&is&less&matter,&the&object&is&less&dense.&This&is&not&the&same&as&
weight&(which&concerns&the&vertical&force,&mass,&and&gravity).&The&eggs&density&in&this&
demonstration&is&the&constant.&When&placed&in&fresh&water,&the&egg&is&denser&than&the&
surrounding&water&and&it&pushes&aside&water&particles,&making&space&for&it&to&rest&at&the&
bottom.&When&salt&is&added&to&the&water&the&ions&in&the&salt&break&down&and&are&attracted&to&
the&water&molecules.&This&increases&the&amount&of&matter&per&volume,&the&density&of&the&
water.&Now&the&salt&water&has&more&particles&per&volume&than&the&egg.&This&time&the&egg&
cant&push&away&the&water&particles,&therefore&the&egg&is&cradled&by&the&salt&water&and&it&
floats&on&top.&Since&fresh&water&is&less&dense&than&salt&water,&if&added&gently&to&the&top&of&
salt&water,&it&will&float&on&top.&&
&
Directions%
%
1. Set&out&glass,&water&bottle,&spoon,&and&egg.&
&
2. Fill&the&glass&about&&full&with&water&(the&egg&will&displace&some&water&and&you&
dont&want&it&to&overflow)&
&
3. Explain&to&the&class&that&the&egg&you&have&is&a&raw&egg.&Have&them&think&about&what&
it&would&look&like&if&you&were&to&drop&the&egg.&Ask&them&how&heavy&they&think&the&
egg&is.&Ask&the&class&what&they&think&will&happen&if&you&were&to&put&the&egg&in&the&

&

water&glass.&Call&on&some&students&and&have&them&explain&the&reasoning&behind&the&
prediction.&(Students&can&fill&out&the&first&section&on&the&worksheet&at&this&time)&
&
4. Gently&submerge&the&egg&using&the&spoon&until&it&rests&on&the&bottom.&
5. Ask&the&class&what&happened&and&discuss&why&the&egg&sank.&
&
6. Remove&the&egg&from&the&water&and&place&it&somewhere&safe&(in&a&bowl&or&on&a&
paper&towel)&

&

&

7. Tell&the&class&what&you&are&doing&as&you&add&3&Tbsp&of&salt&to&the&water&and&stir.&
Have&the&class&think&about&where&salt&water&occurs&on&earth&(the&oceans!)&and&how&it&
differs&from&fresh&water.&Explain&that&you&will&put&the&egg&back&in&the&glass&of&salt&
water&and&call&on&students&who&would&like&to&make&predictions&about&what&will&
happen&this&time.&Have&students&explain&the&reasoning&behind&their&predictions.&
Have&students&fill&out&the&second&section&on&the&worksheet.&
&
8. Gently&place&the&egg&into&the&salty&water.&Remove&the&spoon&and&have&students&make&
observations&about&what&happened.&Call&on&students&to&explain&why&this&might&have&
happened&and&then&go&over&it&as&a&class.&
9. Remove&the&egg&from&the&salty&water&and&place&it&in&a&safe&spot.&Pour&out&&of&the&
salt&water&and&return&the&egg&to&the&glass.&Tell&the&class&you&are&going&to&pour&fresh&
water&gently&into&the&glass&and&take&a&few&predictions&about&what&might&happen&and&
why.&Have&students&fill&out&the&third&section&of&the&worksheet.&&
&
10. Gently&tilt&the&glass&and&slowly&pour&fresh&water&onto&the&edge&of&the&glass&so&that&it&
flows&into&the&salty&mixture.&Have&the&students&make&observations&about&what&
happened&and&discuss&why.&

&
Safety%Precautions%
Be&sure&to&always&place&the&egg&in&a&safe&place&when&removing&it&from&the&glass.&Using&a&
clear&plastic&cup&is&safer&than&using&a&breakable&glass&one.&If&students&plan&on&recreating&this&
demonstration&at&home,&alert&them&to&these&safety&precautions.&&
&
Classroom%Connections%
Relevant&Standards&of&Learning:&PS.1,&1.1,&1.3,&5.4,&6.4,&6.5&
This&demonstration&could&be&used&before&a&field&trip&to&an&estuary&and&lead&into&
discussions&about&how&fresh&water&can&be&found&on&top&of&the&dense&salt&water&in&
these&mixing&areas&and&how&that&impacts&the&organisms&that&live&there.&&
This&demonstration&could&lead&into&a&student&experiment&exploring&the&density&of&
objects&and&arranging&them&from&least&dense&to&most&dense.&&
&
Adapted'from:'https://explorable.com/salt5water5egg5experiment'