Hooked on Science: Geode egg

Did you know you can turn an ordinary egg into a geode? All you need are a few items from around the house.

Materials

* Egg

* Water

* Borax

* Food coloring

Instructions

STEP 1: Crack the egg near the narrow end. Remove the shell near the top of the egg and then pour the contents into the trash.

STEP 2: Using hot water, clean the inside of each egg.

STEP 3: Place the egg into the egg carton and let dry.

STEP 4: Put two cups of water in a saucepan, add food coloring, and mix.

STEP 5: Continue to add borax to the saucepan until the water is super-saturated.

STEP 6: Once the water starts boiling, pour the solution into the egg and allow the water to evaporate down.

Explanation

As the water evaporates from the egg, borax crystals deposit on the sides of the egg, creating a geode egg.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.com. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.