Take an Egg for a Spin

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This is an activity about friction as well as kinetic and potential energy. Learners will be able differentiate between hard-boiled and raw eggs while they marvel at how one of the eggs seems to start spinning all by itself and the other spontaneously rises up on one end, spinning like a top!

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per student
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • Hard-boiled egg
  • Raw egg
  • A table (or other smooth, hard surface)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Energy
      • Potential and Kinetic Energy
    • Motion and Forces
      • Rotation Motion
    • States of Matter

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation, Grant No. ESI-0104724