Hooked on Science: How to create geode eggs

Using a few materials from around the house, you can turn an ordinary egg into a geode.

Materials

* 12 eggs

* Water

* Borax

* Food coloring

Instructions

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

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

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

STEP 4: Put two cups of water into 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 each egg and allow the water to evaporate.

Explanation

As the water evaporates from the eggs, 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 jlindseyhookedonscience.com.