Day 1

We will be using eggs to demonstrate how cells with selectively permeable membranes interact
with different substances. Remember, an egg is a cell! The size of eggs makes them the perfect
choice for examining the effects of cell diffusion.

Purpose of Diffusion Experiments

A selectively permeable cell membrane has pores that open to allow substances to pass through.
When exposed to an undesirable substance, the pores of a membrane tighten to prevent elements
from entering. Egg diffusion experiments show an animal cell’s ability to block certain materials and
allow others, like oxygen and nutrients, to enter through diffusion.

When you use vinegar to harden a raw egg and dissolve its shell, the inside of the egg acts as the
cell and the outside as its permeable membrane. By exposing an egg to different liquids, it will react
to different items, just as a cell in the human body might.

Background: Diffusion Versus Osmosis

To fully comprehend the results of the egg experiment, it’s helpful to understand the difference
between diffusion and osmosis.

During the process of diffusion, molecules of a high concentration in one area move to an area with
a lower concentration until they reach an equilibrium.
● For example, if there are 18 molecules outside of a substance and only 6 molecules inside of
it, six of the outer molecules will travel to the inside so that there are 12 molecules on both
sides.

Article from https://education.seattlepi.com/diffusion-experiments-eggs-4759.html, with a few modifications.

Osmosis is a form of diffusion that occurs when water permeates a cell. Although the two terms are
often used interchangeably, diffusion applies to the movement of any substance (including a solid,
liquid, or gas) from a high to low concentration while osmosis applies only to the transference of
water across a semipermeable membrane.

In this experiment, one egg will be placed in water and another egg will be placed in Coca-Cola.

Water is hypotonic to the inside of the egg; therefore the egg is expected to grow when placed in a
container with water.

Coca Cola is made up of carbonated water, sugar(high fructose syrup), caffeine, Phosphoric acid v.
caramel (E150d), and natural flavoring from the coca leaf. (Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. “The
Ingredients in Coca Cola Explained.” ThoughtCo,
www.thoughtco.com/the-ingredients-and-their-function-in-coke-explained-3976096#:~:text=Suga
r%20(which%20can%20be%20sucrose,caramel%20(E150d). Because Coca Cola is very
concentrated, the egg is expected to shrink when placed in it because Coca Cola has high fructose
corn syrup, caffeine, and Phosphoric acid v. caramel (E150d) which makes the egg/cell release
water to try to balance the molecule built up.
Materials
● 2 raw eggs
● Two beakers (one 400 mL beaker and one 600 mL beaker)
● white vinegar (enough to cover the eggs)
● tap water
● Coca-Cola

Experiment Procedure
1. Carefully place your raw eggs in a glass beaker and cover them with white vinegar.
2. Immediately record observations on how the eggs look and feel.
3. Let the eggs soak for three days (until Thursday).
4. On Thursday, immediately record observations on how the eggs look and feel.
a. Take written/typed notes and also add pictures.
5. Rinse the eggs with water. Rinse the beakers with water as well.
6. Use the triple beam balance to see what each eggs’ mass is--make sure you know which egg
is which! You should only take ONE egg out at a time, so as not to mix them up.
7. Place an egg in each beaker, then fill one beaker with distilled water and one beaker with corn
syrup (enough to cover the eggs).
8. Over the next four days, weigh the eggs and record your observations about the eggs and
liquids (written and pictures) in the data chart below.

Results
Table 1. Observations of Egg Cell in Tap Water.
Day 1 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
(Thursday) (Saturday) (Sunday) (Monday) (Tuesday)
right away observations observations observations observations
bubbles

Written Bubbly and no *Shell still intact Expanded in There are still Expanded in
observati physical in Vinegar.* size bubbles size.
ons changes to the Super Bouncy surrounding the Looks sort of
shapes and has a outer surface of transparent.
*In VINEGAR* rubber texture the egg.

Cool
Picture
Table 2. Observations of Egg Cell in Coca-Cola.

Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

(Saturday) (Sunday) (Monday) (Tuesday)
After egg-shell observations observations observations
dissolves

COKE

Written *Shell still intact Floating in Egg absorbing There are

observati in Vinegar.* Coca Cola the brown color patches of
ons Bubbly on the of the soda. darker spots in
surface area the egg.

Cool
Picture

Eggs Out of Chemicals

Water CocaCola
Analysis of Results
In Table 1, the egg gradually became more rubbery in texture and increased in size as time went on. At
first, it looked like a normal egg. Then after a few days in water, it increased in mass and the structure of
the egg cell became rubbery and heavy.
EGG 1 in
Tap Water

In Table 2, the egg gradually became darker in color as time went on. At first, it was an opaque white and
was a normal size. Then it became a rich dark brown and had the same texture just like the first one. It
also

EGG 2 in Coca-Cola

Conclusion
Our group found that after we submerged our eggs in vinegar for approximately 3 days, so the
shell could dissolve and the egg cell could expose its outer membrane. We then submerged one egg in
tap water and the other coca-cola soda for three extra days. In table one, we wrote descriptions and
pictures of the egg’s progress. Nothing changed for egg 1, it only expanded in size 20-30% and its
texture became rubbery. For egg 2, it did not shrink but expanded just as much as egg1, approximately
20-30%, and its color changed dramatically to a dark brown due to the tint of the coca-cola soda. The
egg submerged in coca-cola also seems heavier than the one submerged in water, yet they are about
the same size. Their shape also became more plump, like a circle than before we put them in the
chemicals. In the end, we decided to dissect the eggs to the inside of them. The one in tap water looks
normal, in color with the skin of the outer membrane in a white-ish color. On the other hand, egg 2 that
was in coca-cola, the yolk did not completely change color, it only became slightly darker, the yolk also
latched on the dark membrane, which concludes our experiment. Enjoy the Picture below!