Eggs and their properties

The most obvious physical property of eggs is that the shell can be easily broken. Cracking is an irreversible physical change, no heat, or gasses are released when an egg is cracked. No precipitate is formed. These clues indicate that it was not a chemical change. In addition, the egg is still an egg, only cracked, suggests physical change.

Egg yolks can be separated from egg whites through reversible physical change. This change cannot be chemical because the substances remain the same but in different locations and there was no change in heat, gasses released or precipitate formed. It however seems to be a physical change because it can be easily reversed by pouring the yolk and white back together.

Another physical property an egg (yolk) has is its ability to change through beating. When an egg yolk is beaten, it becomes a mixture with a creamy consistency. The color of the mixture is also lighter than the original color of the yolk. This is physical change that is not reversible because once an egg yolk has gone through this process it will never be one coherent blob again. Again no indicators for chemical change were present.

Egg whites also have the physical property that allows them to be beaten into a frothy state. This is a reversible physical change as, given enough time, the egg whites will return to their original state. During this change no indicators of chemical change were present.

The final physical property of eggs is the ability to mix the whites and yolk to form a solution. When this happens it is an irreversible physical change because there is no way to separate the yolk from the egg again. Also when the egg white and yolk are mixed no indicators for chemical change occur.

One chemical property of an egg is its potential to react with acid. When an egg comes into contact with an acid, gasses are released and the egg shell begins to turn rubbery. This is a chemical change because the shell becomes a different substance. Another clue that it is a chemical change is of the release of gasses. This property can be observed by submerging an egg in distilled vinegar. The egg will soon start to release gasses and then will start to float. After about a week the egg will be very rubbery.

Another chemical property of an egg is the potential for the egg white to react with acid. When an acid is added to egg whites the whites bubble and change color which both signal chemical change. The whites are altered and do not retain their identity as egg whites and is a new substance.

Eggs also have the chemical property of having the potential to burn. When eggs burn they turn black and have a burnt odor. The change in color signals that burning is a chemical change.

The worst chemical property of eggs is decomposition. When eggs decompose they are a different substance than they were before decomposition, they smell and taste different. Also decomposed eggs release a gas that has smells bad. This indicates the egg has had a chemical change.

Finally, eggs yolks have the property of reacting with acid. When an acid comes into contact with an egg yolk it reacts with the membrane that holds the yolk together and the yolk becomes runny, in addition a precipitate is formed which signals a chemical reaction.