Expert: Sue Kayton Date: 5/19/2008 Subject: Density
Question How can the an egg effect the density of salt water?
Answer Eggs have a shell. The shell has little holes in it, called pores. Water and air can move through the holes. If you put an egg in very salty water, some of the water will leave the egg through the holes, and salt will enter the egg through the holes. This will make the egg shrivel up and get salty. It will make the water get less salty, as some of the salt goes into the egg, and some of the water from the egg goes out of the egg into the water.
When salt water has more salt in it, it gets denser. So putting an egg into very salty water will make it less dense. It will make the egg MORE dense.
The Chinese make Thousand-Year Eggs by soaking them in salt water. Have you ever eaten one?
