Put Some Spin On It

Put Some Spin On It

This eggs-selent and easy experiment demonstrates Newton’s first law.

For a printable version of this project, click here.

Materials

• Hard-boiled egg
• Uncooked egg

Instructions

1. Spin the hard-boiled egg on a smooth surface. Stop the egg, then let it go right away.
2. Spin the uncooked egg on a smooth surface. Stop the egg, then let it go right away.
3. Watch what happens when you let go of the eggs.

What’s Happening

The uncooked egg should spin a little even after you stop it. Newton’s first law explains why: when an object is moving, it tends to continue moving at the same speed unless acted upon by an outside force. When you stop the uncooked egg, you stop the shell—the yolk and white are not attached to the shell so they keep moving.
After you’ve tried this a few times, you can amaze your family and friends—ask them to mix up the eggs, and then use what you’ve learned to figure out which egg is uncooked.