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Floating Egg Science Experiment

Can you make an egg float in water? In this simple science experiment, we take just a few minutes to test the laws of density and discover just how easy it is to make an egg float!

Below you’ll find detailed instructions and our demonstration video as well as the scientific explanation of “why it works.” We’ve also included a more ideas to explore the concept a bit further.

JUMP TO SECTION: Instructions | Video Tutorial | How it Works

Supplies Needed

• 2 Tall Drinking Glass

Floating Egg Science Lab Kit – Only $5

Use our easy Floating Egg Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!

It’s everything you need to  make science easy for teachers and fun for students  — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!

Floating Egg Science Experiment Instructions

Experiment Setup – Start with some observations about the eggs. Note that they are both raw eggs and have a similar size and weight. Then ask some questions. Do you think that the eggs will sink or float when placed in water? Do you think it’s possible to make them float? If so, how? Write down your hypothesis (prediction) and then follow the steps below.

Step 1 – Fill a tall drinking glass about 3/4 full of water and carefully place the egg into the glass. What happens to the egg? That’s right, it sinks to the bottom.  

Did you know there is a way to make it float? Continue on in the experiment to find out how. 

Step 2 – Fill another tall drinking glass about 3/4 full of water. 

Step 3 – Add 3 Tablespoons of salt to the water and stir until it is completely combined. What do you think will happen if you place the egg into the glass with the salt water? Write down your hypothesis (prediction) and then test it to see if you were right. 

Step 5 – Next carefully place the second egg into the glass with the salt water. What happens to the egg? That’s right, it floats. Take a moment to make some observations. Why do you think one egg sinks and the other egg floats?

Find out the answer in the how does this experiment work section below.

Video Tutorial

How Does the Floating Egg Science Experiment Work

Why does the egg sink in regular tap water, but float in saltwater? The answer lies in the density of water!

Density is a measure of the mass per unit volume of a substance. Simply said, how much “stuff” in a given volume. Water has a density of 1 g/mL (g/cm3). Objects will float in water if their density is less than 1 g/mL. Objects will sink in water if their density is greater than 1 g/mL.

The egg will sink in regular tap water because the density of the egg is greater than the density of water. The egg’s density is only slightly higher than water at 1.03 g/mL, but that is enough to make the egg sink.

When you add salt to the water, you are increasing the density of the water by adding more mass (or stuff) in the given volume. You don’t really change the volume of the water by adding salt. By adding enough salt, you increase the density of the water so that it is higher than the density of the egg and the egg will float!

Other Ideas to Try

Try this experiment again, but instead of using an egg use a potato slice or a carrot slice. You will have to play around with the amount of salt you add to the water because all objects have their own unique density. Add salt a tablespoon at a time and mix well until you cannot see any salt in the solution, then add your object to see if it floats or sinks. Remove your object and keep adding salt until you can get your object to float. To make it a true science experiment, create a data table to keep track of how much salt you add to the solution.

I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions.

• Drinking Glass

Instructions

• Fill a tall drinking glass about 3/4 full of water
• Place the egg into the glass of watch and watch it sink
• Fill another tall drinking glass about 3/4 full of water
• Add 3 Tablespoons of Salt and stir until combined
• Place the egg into the glass and watch it float

Reader Interactions

April 3, 2019 at 2:58 pm

i love this experiment

January 23, 2020 at 11:14 pm

I really loved doing this experiment with my class

August 26, 2020 at 2:59 pm

The egg floats because the density of the salt water changes to be greater than the egg and the density of the egg becomes less dense so then the egg floats. But when you put an egg in tapwater the density of the egg is greater than the density of the tapwater which makes the egg sink.

January 20, 2022 at 11:33 am

bro I loved this experiment it was amazing!!! I tried it out with my friends and it worked! Thank you!

February 10, 2022 at 7:19 pm

this is very helpful thank you

March 7, 2022 at 9:56 am

i loved this experiment : )

April 16, 2023 at 11:35 am

I love doing this experiment at home

May 1, 2023 at 9:00 am

It’s amazing thank you for sharing.

November 3, 2023 at 10:18 am

This is my science fair experiment! YAY!

November 25, 2023 at 7:41 am

wow what a great experiment m!!!

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April 10, 2014

Salty Science: Floating Eggs in Water

A density demonstration from Science Buddies

By Science Buddies

Key concepts Density Mass Volume Concentration Buoyancy Water Introduction Have you ever wondered why some objects float in water and others sink? It has to do with the density of the objects compared with the density of the water surrounding them. If an object is less dense than the water around it, it will float. Because salt water is denser than freshwater, some things float more easily in the ocean—or extremely salty bodies of the water, such as the Dead Sea. You can make your own dense water by adding salt to tap water. In fact, if you add enough salt, you can make the water so dense that an egg will actually float in it! Explore how this works in this science activity.   Background If you put an egg in a cup of tap water, it will sink to the bottom. Why is this? Because the density of the egg is higher than the density of tap water, so it sinks. Density is the mass of a material per unit volume. For example, the density of freshwater under standard conditions is approximately one gram per cubic centimeter.   But, if you add enough salt to the water, the egg will actually float back up to the surface! Adding salt to the water increases the density of the solution because the salt increases the mass without changing the volume very much.   When enough salt is added to the water, the saltwater solution's density becomes higher than the egg's, so the egg will then float! The ability of something, like the egg, to float in water or some other liquid is known as buoyancy. But just how much salt is needed to make an egg float? In this science activity you'll figure that out by making solutions with varying concentrations of salt in them.   Materials

Measuring cup

Large container, such as a large bowl or cooking pot (It must be able to hold at least three cups.)

One half cup of table salt

Five cups that hold at least 16 ounces each

Permanent marker (if you are using plastic cups) or masking tape and a pen (to label nondisposable cups)

Three spoons for mixing salty solutions

Soup spoon for egg transfers

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  Preparation

Take the egg out of the refrigerator and allow it to warm to room temperature. Be sure to always wash your hands after handling uncooked eggs because they may carry salmonella.

Pour one and one half cups of water into your large container.

Add one half cup of salt to the large container and stir to dissolve some of the salt (it will not all dissolve yet).

Add one more cup of water to the large container (making two and one half cups total) and stir to dissolve the remaining salt. The salt should be completely dissolved before you go on to the next step. It may take several (five to 10) minutes of stirring, so you may need to be patient. Why do you think it's important to start out with a solution that has such a high concentration of salt?

Arrange the five cups on a surface, going in a line from left to right. Label the cups 1 to 5. If you are using plastic cups, you can use a permanent marker to label them. If you are using nondisposable cups, you can use masking tape and a pen to label them.

Add three quarters cup of the salty solution you prepared to cup 1.

Add three quarters cup of plain tap water to cups 2 through 5. (Cup 5 will be plain tap water.)

Add three quarters cup of the salty solution you prepared to cup 2 and mix it. What is the salt concentration in cup two compared with cup one?

Add three quarters cup of the salt solution from cup 2 to cup 3 and mix it. What is the salt concentration in cup 3 compared with cups 1 and 2?

Add three quarters cup of the salt solution from cup 3 to cup 4 and mix it. What is the salt concentration in cup 4 compared with the other cups?

Use a soup spoon to place an egg in cup 5. Does the egg float?

Use the spoon to take the egg out and place it in cup 4. Does the egg float?

Repeat this process with cups 3, 2 and then 1. In which cup does the egg first float? If the egg floated in more than one cup, did you notice any difference in how it floated? What does this tell you about the density of the egg?

Extra: In this science activity you figured out, within a factor of two, how much salt it takes to float an egg. You could narrow down the range further by testing additional saltwater solutions to try and determine the egg’s density. To do this, start your solution with the salt concentration in which the egg first floated and make a new dilution series, as you did before. Now in which cup does the egg first float? What does this tell you about the density of the egg?

Extra: Repeat this activity using several more eggs, possibly both hard-boiled and uncooked eggs. Do you get the same results with other eggs or is there some variation between different eggs? For testing hard-boiled versus raw eggs, you should test the same egg, first raw and then after hard-boiling it to investigate any differences.

Extra: Find out how much salt there is in seawater. From the results of your activity, do you think an egg would float or sink in seawater?

 [break] Observations and results Did the egg float in cup 1 and 2, but not in cups 3, 4 or 5?   You likely saw that the egg floated best in cup 1, floated a little less in cup 2 (but part of it was above the surface) and did not float in the other cups. Cup 1 had the undiluted salty solution that you originally prepared, which was one half cup of salt in two and one half cups water total. The concentrations of the salt solutions in cups 2 to 4 were halved as you increased in cup number; for example, the concentration of the salt in cup 2 was half that of cup 1, and the concentration of the salt in cup 3 was half again of cup 2. (Cup 5 had plain tap water.) The egg should have sunk in cups 3, 4 and 5 because the density of the egg was higher than the density of the solutions (or plain tap water) in those cups. Cups 1 and 2 had more salt in them than the other cups (with cup 1 having the most salt), which means these solutions were denser. The egg should have floated (with part of it above the water surface) in these two cups because the solutions were denser than the egg. The actual density of the egg is in between the density of the solution in cup 3 and that in cup 2.   More to explore What Is Density? , from Charles E. Ophardt, Elmhurst College Why Is the Ocean Salty? , from Herbert Swenson, U.S. Geological Survey Publication Fun, Science Activities for You and Your Family , from Science Buddies How Salty Does the Sea Have to Be for an Egg to Float? , from Science Buddies

This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

Floating Egg Experiment

Will an egg float in fresh or salt water.

Will an egg float in fresh or salt water? The Floating Egg Experiment is an easy hands-on investigation that can be done in your own kitchen! I have used this lab before as a class demonstration, group lab investigation, and with my own kids at home. There are several science terms and concepts that can be taught in this experiment including density, solutions, mixtures, saturation, concentration, mass, and the list goes on. Scroll to the bottom to download your own Floating Egg Experiment Lab Sheet!

*Don’t miss out on the Salt Water Density Lab featuring a free observation lab sheet too! And be sure to check out all of our  FREE Science Resources including our  Labs & Experiments !

As a Christian Book and Amazon affiliate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support. As always, we only recommend items that we truly feel will benefit your homeschooling experience. We appreciate it.

Floating Egg Experiment Introduction

Before conducting the experiment, there are a few things you should cover with your students to create a meaningful learning experience. First, spend time talking about the terms below. We discuss the meaning of salinity and a homogeneous mixture amongst other concepts. Since this investigation is demonstrating the difference in density between salt water (oceans) and fresh water (rivers, lakes, ice), it works well with our Water Distribution Unit .

Important Terms and Facts

– Salinity  describes the amount of salt dissolved in water. Saline water is water with salt dissolved in it. 

– A homogeneous mixture  is a type of mixture where a solute (salt) is dissolved into a solvent (water). This type of homogeneous mixture is called a solution . 

– Density is the amount of mass in volume. Volume is the amount of space something takes up. 

– Buoyancy is a force on an object making that object rise or move forward.

Floating Egg Experiment Lab Sheets

Write hypothesis.

Once you have introduced the key terms in the Floating Egg Experiment, make sure the students are given the following facts and the FREE FLOATING EGG EXPERIMENT LAB SHEETS.

• Water has a density of 1 g/mL (g/cm3).
• Objects will float in water if their density is less than 1 g/mL.
• Lastly, objects will sink in water if their density is greater than 1 g/mL.

After giving your students this information, guide them to write a hypothesis for the posing question, “Will an egg float in salt or fresh water?”

For example, their hypothesis could read like this:

If I add 1 TBSP of salt to every ½ cup of fresh water, a raw egg _____________________________ float.

Students will plug in the words, “will” or “will not,” in the blank of the hypothesis.

Identify Variables

Identifying variables in an experiment is something that takes most students practice. It is a good idea to continuously review the following terms. Check out our  Scientific Method unit to get more practice.

Manipulated Variable – variable that is different in the experiment. It is the thing that is manipulated. *In this case, the manipulated variable is the amount of salt added to the water.

Responding Variable – variable that is being tested. It responds to the manipulated variable. *Hence, if the egg floats or not. 

Controlled Variable – variable(s) in the experiment that do not change or remain the same. *In this lab, the glasses and raw egg are the controlled variables. 

Review the experiment before conducting...

For you teachers, it is always advisable to try an experiment out first to ensure that it works the way it is supposed to. There is nothing worse than demonstrating in front of a group of students for an experiment to flop! It has happened to the best of us… yes, it has happened to me! Watch this video I found on YouTube to get a step by step of the experiment. It is pretty easy to demonstrate. 

I have used this experiment for years with the exception of the salt water with the fresh water on top. That aspect of the experiment was new to me. So, I too tried this at home before showing it to my students. *I wonder if it will work with glasses that aren’t quite so narrow at the bottom? Let’s see…

Gather Materials

The materials list is likely to all be found within your kitchen. I love experiments that do not require a tricky supply list. So, gather 3 raw eggs, water, salt, a spoon, 3 clear glasses, and a measuring cup and tablespoon come in handy.

Fresh Water first and then Salt Water

I always start demonstrating the egg sinking in the fresh water first. Next, you will show how adding salt to the fresh water will change its density. Thus, the egg will now float in the denser salt water. In the Egg Floating Experiment, I use 1 tablespoon of salt per 1/2 cup of water. This enables the students to measure more precisely. Some kids need the restrictions.

*On their lab sheets, students will draw and record observations and make conclusions.

Extended Learning...

This aspect of the Floating Egg Experiment is a new for me. I never did this in years past, but what a great addition. You can choose to demonstrate this last glass or the students can continue to follow the procedures on their lab sheet. In the end, take the time to talk about the science behind this experiment. This is where the science comes all together!

What's the Science behind it?

It’s very important that before, during, and after an experiment that you are explaining the science behind the experiment. If you skip this step, then the lab becomes merely a fun hands-on activity with no real science connections. The experiments are meant to help the students get past the surface and begin to soak in the abstract and unseen science behind it.

Glass #1 – The egg sunk to the bottom in glass #1 because the egg is more dense than the water. Hence, the egg has more mass in its volume than the water does. 

Glass #2 – The egg floats in salt water because the salt water is more dense than the egg. This means that the salt water has more mass in its volume than the egg does. The salt adds mass to the volume of the water creating a more dense liquid.

Glass #3 – When the egg is put in the cup, the glass is only half full with a mixture of salt and water. This causes the egg to float in the salt water instead of sinking. When plain water is added to the salt water, the egg remains in the middle of the glass because of density. The plain water is the least dense, then the egg, and the most dense is the salt water at the bottom of the glass.  

*When the floating eggs are pushed into the salt water, the eggs float right back up to the top of the salt water. This is due to buoyancy. The force of the salt water causes the egg to rise back up. 

DOWNLOAD FLOATING EGG EXPERIMENT LAB SHEETS

Check out these other free resources.

John 4:14  – But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

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Science Fun

Floating Egg

• Salt (1 – 2 cups)
• A tall drinking glass

Instructions:

1. Pour water into the glass until it is about half full. 2. Place an egg in the glass of water and see if it sinks or floats (it should sink). 2. Stir in lots of salt. Start with 1 tablespoon and stir it until the salt dissolves. Keep adding more salt until the egg floats. 3. Next, carefully pour more fresh water until the glass is nearly full (be careful to not disturb or mix the salty water with the plain water). If you’re very careful, you can get the egg to float between the fresh and saltwater!

VIDEO COMING SOON BUT YOU CAN STILL ENJOY THESE AWESOME EXPERIMENTS!

How It Works:

The egg is denser than the fresh water (more molecules per square inch), this causes it to sink.  When you start dissolving salt in the water, this is increasing the density (adding more molecules per square inch).  Eventually the water becomes denser than the egg causing the egg to float.  When you carefully add fresh water again, this fresh water is less dense than the salt water so it floats right on top!

Extra Experiments:

Are there other liquids you can add to make the egg sink or float? What else can you dissolve in the water to make the egg float?

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Salt Water Density Experiment

Can you make a fresh egg float in water? Will an egg float or sink in salt water? What is density? What is buoyancy? Answer these questions with this easy floating egg salt water experiment. Check out all our classic science experiments for more great ideas!

Let’s get ready to investigate whether an egg floats! Head to the kitchen, open the pantry, and be prepared to get a little salty. If you are curious about the rubber egg experiment in the video, click here .

• 2 Tall glasses big enough to hold an egg

Floating Egg Experiment Set Up

STEP 1:  Start by filling one glass about 2/3 of the way full with water. Ask the kids what will happen if you carefully drop an egg into the glass of water. Now go ahead and do it!

STEP 2:  In the other glass, fill to the same height with water. Now stir in 3 tablespoons of salt. Mix well to dissolve the salt! Ask the kids what they think will happen this time and demonstrate!

TIP: Now’s a great time to talk about mixtures. By combining salt and water, you are making a mixture, an important science concept ( Grab a free printable list of science words )!

A mixture is a material made up of two or more substances mixed together. No chemical reaction takes place, and you can separate the substances in the mixture. You can have a mixture of liquids, solids, or gases.

The second egg should float due to the water’s density change!

Science Information

Kids can easily experiment with different objects from around the room. Small plastic items will work best with the measurements of salt and water provided.

If the item still sinks in the salt water, ask the kids what they think! Should they add more salt? Have each kid contribute an item to the experiment!

This is a great experiment to add to your ocean science lesson plans because the ocean is salty!

So many excellent saltwater density questions:

• Do you float better in salt water?
• What about some of the biggest mammals on earth that float easily in the ocean?
• Does the density of the saltwater play a role?

Why is the ocean salty? The simple answer is that salt comes from the rocks on the land that have been broken down by erosion and are carried by streams to the ocean.

What is Density?

Why do some objects sink while another object floats? An object sinks because it is denser or heavier than water and vice versa. Our sink and float experiment is another exciting way to look at items that might surprise you using only water.

Big items that feel light, like a ping pong ball, are less dense than smaller items that feel heavy, like a gold ring. When added to water, objects denser than water sink, and those less dense than water float. Hollow things often float as air is less dense than water. Learn more about what is density.

You can experiment with many objects that sink and float in water, but what happens when you add salt? Can you change whether the object, like the egg, still sinks?

How does salt affect the density of water?

Adding salt to water densifies it. As the salt dissolves in the water, it adds mass (more weight to the water). This densifies the water and allows more objects to float on the surface that would sink in fresh water. This is an example of a physical change !

Do objects float better in saltwater or freshwater?

What other items can you find to test? Most items will generally float in this salt water experiment even if they sink in freshwater. Just look at the egg!

Turn It Into A Floating Egg Science Fair Project

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , making observations , and analyzing and presenting data.

• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas
• Easy Science Fair Projects

To turn the floating egg experiment into a science fair project using the scientific method, start by posing a clear question. For example, “How does the salt concentration in water affect an egg’s buoyancy?” Formulate a hypothesis predicting the outcome: “The higher the salt concentration, the more likely the egg will float.”

Design the experiment by preparing several solutions with varying amounts of salt dissolved in water ( variables ), then placing an egg in each solution and observing whether it floats or sinks.

Collect and record data on the egg’s buoyancy in each solution, noting the specific salt concentrations. Analyze the results to see if they support your hypothesis. Finally, present your findings, discussing how the salt concentration affects the egg’s buoyancy and reflecting on any potential improvements or further questions during the experiment.

More Simple Science Ideas

• Sink the Boat Buoyancy Challenge
• Freezing Point of Water
• Frost on a Can (not just for winter!)
• Sink or Float Experiment
• Do Oranges Sink or Float?
• What Dissolves in Water?

Helpful Science Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Science Vocabulary
• 8 Science Books for Kids
• All About Scientists
• Free Science Worksheets
• Science Supplies List
• Science Tools for Kids
• Scientific Method for Kids
• Citizen Science Guide
• Join us in the Club

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

15 Comments

When I click the link to go to your blog from my email, a virus (weird website) keeps popping up. I like your blog. But you may want to check into the virus.

I think Liam’s explanation of water density is perfect – smart kid! These projects are a perfect way to *show* kids the difference, instead of just trying to explain it to them (like you said, nearly impossibly for preschoolers!)

I can see salt water being a big hit around here for experimenting! This looks so fun! Pinning for the future!

Lots of stirring but lots of interesting fun! Thanks for pinning!

Thanks Emma! He’s a smart cookie and likes to see things too understand! Not big on listening a whole bunch just yet 😉

Thanks I will look and see what I can see! Glad you like it!

Very good post. I absolutely love this site. Continue the good work!

I like this experiment but it is not about weight it is about density.

Yes, I have been meaning to update it a bit more. Thank you.

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Floating Egg Science Experiment ( Using Salt, Sugar & Saline Water)

• December 10, 2020
• 10 Minute Science , 5-6 Year Olds , 7-9 Year Olds , Physics , Rainy Day Science

Hello everyone! Today we have come up with simple ‘ Floating Egg Science Experiment with a twist’ that can be done within 5-10 minutes.

My kids call it as a pre-breakfast activity. This is an easy and funny experiment to teach density for kids .

We know that some things float in the water and some others not. Do u know why the things sink in the water!? Let us learn something about floating science using eggs.

Floating Egg Experiment

This activity is a cool way to learn the concept – density! We are going to perform the experiment with four different liquids to understand the science behind floating objects in water.

We commonly see that eggs sink when we put in the water. What is the reason behind this!? Does egg sinks the same way when dropped in other liquids? We will perform a simple activity to learn the science behind it.

Try our 20+ Egg Science Experiments

Materials Required for the Activity

• Saline water (You can find saline water in any of the local pharmacies)
• Four glass jars (Either you take glass jars or beakers, make sure they are tall and wide enough to drop an egg)
• Four Raw Eggs (Ensure the eggs are not broken or given any crack to avoid the unnecessary mess with the leaky eggs during experiment)
• Fill one tall drinking glass or glass beaker about ¾ full of water.

• In the same way, fill the other glass with salt water. To prepare salt water, put 1-2 cups of salt in 500ml of water. Stir it with the spoon. That’s it. You are done with making salt water.

• Now it is second drinking glass turn! Fill it with sugar water. Prepare the sugar water same like how we made salt water in previous step.

• Saline water! Yes, we are using saline water as well to observe the floating science with eggs. Fill the fourth glass beaker with saline water.

• Finally, we have arrived to the kid’s favourite step i.e. dropping egg into the tall drinking glasses.

My younger daughter is eagerly waiting for my instructions to drop the egg in the liquids. When I said so, she carefully dropped the raw eggs into the four glasses filled with four different liquids each.

Ask your kids to observe the results that in which liquid the dropped eggs are floating or sinking.

On the initial test, we only had egg floating in the salt water. The sugar water was not dense enough to make the egg float. So we tried to add more sugar to the already prepared sugar solution.

Finally we made the egg float in the sugar water as the water is now more dense due to the added sugar.

How Does the Floating Egg Science Experiment Work?

Let us discuss the results of our experiment. The raw egg dropped in the tap water sinks immediately as soon as it is dropped. On the other hand the egg in the salt water floats.

We observe the same results with the sugar water as well. The raw egg floats nicely in sugar water as well.

How about our egg in the saline water? The egg didn’t float surprisingly in the saline water.

Now let us discuss on what made the eggs in salt & sugar water float and why the egg in normal tap water and saline water sink!?

Science behind floating egg

The egg in the glass of regular tap water sinks to the bottom because the density of egg is more compared to density of water.

Why the egg in salt water floats? When the salt is added to the water, it increases the density of the water and hence the density of the egg slowly becomes lesser than the salt water.

You are dissolving the more the salt into the water means you are increasing the density of water. The denser the liquid is the easier for the object in the water to float.

The same formula applies to the sugar water. The density of sugar water is more than the density of egg.

On the other hand, saline water is made of salt and water. However, the density of the saline water that we used seems to be lower than than egg. Thus it floated in the sugar water and sinked in the saline water.

Density is a concept dealing with how closely a substance is packed to be together.

We will compare this concept with our daily life things. For example: consider we have two bowls one is filled with salad and the other is with rice.

Both are of taken in same quantity but we feel the salad bowl is lighter than the rice bowl because the ingredients are packed tightly in the rice bowl than the salad of lettuce and vegetables which are very light in nature.

In the same way, the molecules in the salt, sugar, and saline water are packed more closely and makes the salt, sugar, and saline water denser than the water where the molecules are packed lighter thus making it less denser.

Even the egg has some density but less than the salt water and hence the egg floats in salt, sugar, and saline water.

So, when you go to swimming pool or beach or ocean, observe that you will float easily and lightly compared to salt water. The denser the liquid, the easier you will float! Amazing right!?

Experiment Extensions

Try different liquids and different substances to dissolve in the water in order to make an egg float.

Try these Density Science Experiments :

9 Layer Density Tower

Hot & Cold Water Experiment

DIY Sugar Density Rainbow

Oil, Food Color & Water – Fireworks

How to make Lava Lamp

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How salty does the sea have to be for an egg to float.

Try this eggs-periment to learn why some objects float in the ocean while others sink

Which glass holds the salty water? This activity will help you figure it out.

Arthit Pornpikanet/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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By Science Buddies

January 24, 2023 at 6:30 am

Objective : Determine what salt concentration will float an egg

Areas of science : Ocean sciences

Difficulty : Intermediate/Easy

Time required : ≤ 1 day

Prerequisites : None

Material availability : Readily available

Cost : Very low (under $20)

Safety : Always wash your hands after handling uncooked eggs because they may carry  Salmonella .

Credits : Andrew Olson, PhD, Science Buddies; Sandra Slutz, PhD, Science Buddies

Did you know that if you put an egg in a cup of tap water, it will sink to the bottom? But, if you add enough salt, the egg will float back up to the surface! Why? Because the density of the egg is higher than the density of tap water, so it sinks. 

Density (ρ),  as shown in Equation 1, is the  mass (m)  of a material per unit  volume (v).  For example, the density of freshwater under standard conditions is approximately 1 gram (g) per cubic centimeter (cm 3 ). In other words, if you filled a 1-cm x 1-cm x 1-cm box with freshwater, the water inside the box would have a mass of 1 g.

Adding salt to the water increases the density of the water, because the salt increases the mass without changing the volume very much. With enough added salt, the saltwater solution density is higher than the egg’s, and the egg will then float, as shown in Figure 1. The ability of something, like the egg, to float in water or some other liquid is known as  buoyancy .

Equation 1:

ρ  = Density in whatever units are used for mass and volume. m  = Mass in grams (g), kilograms (kg), or any other unit of weight. v  = Volume in centimeters cubed (cm 3 ), meters cubed (m 3 ), or any other unit of volume.

But just how much salt is needed to make an egg float? In this science fair project, you will figure that out by placing an egg in cups with different salt  concentrations . The concentration of a solution tells you how much of a compound is in a certain volume of a mixture.

In chemistry, the  mass concentration  is one way of expressing the concentration of a solution. The mass concentration is defined as the mass of a compound (in grams) in a certain solvent volume (in liters) and has the unit grams per liter (g/L). For example, in a solution with 750 grams of salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) in 1.5 liters of water, the mass concentration of salt is 750 g/1.5 L = 500 g/L.

In this project, you will be using the technique of making serial dilutions to create solutions with different salt concentrations. A  serial dilution  is a method for accurately diluting a solution in regular steps. You add a known amount of your starting, or  stock,  solution to a known amount of water and mix them. This process is called dilution. Diluting a solution means adding additional solvent (water in this project) to decrease the solution’s concentration. The new concentration of the diluted solution can be calculated using Equation 2.

Equation 2:

Here is an example calculation. Let’s say you have a salt solution with a mass concentration of 500 g/L. You dilute this solution by mixing 0.25 L of that salt solution with 0.25 L of water. This brings the total volume of your dilution to 0.5 liters (0.25 L + 0.25 L). To calculate the mass concentration of salt in the diluted salt solution you use Equation 2:

Solving the equation tells you that your dilution has a salt concentration of 250 g/L, which is half of your stock solution.

As a general rule, if the volume of stock solution and the volume of solvent (water) for your dilution are equal, you will be diluting the solution by half. This is called a  two-fold  dilution. A two-fold dilution means that with each dilution step, the new concentration of the dilution should be 50 percent of the original concentration.

If you want bigger steps, you should use relatively more water; if you want smaller steps, you should use relatively less water. By repeating the process, you can make a whole series of dilutions, which is how the method got its name. In this ocean science project, you will start out using two-fold dilutions to find out how much salt will cause an egg to float.

Terms and concepts

• Serial dilution
• Mass concentration
• Relative concentration
• Absolute concentration
• Why would an egg float in water with a lot of salt in it, but not in plain tap water?
• What happens to salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) molecules when dissolved in water?
• Why does adding salt to water increase its density?

Materials and equipment

• Permanent marker
• Table salt (1 cup)
• Measuring cup, liquid
• Large container, such as a large bowl or cooking pot. Must be able to hold at least five cups.
• Spoon for stirring
• Bag of clear 16-oz plastic cups
• Soup spoon for egg transfer
• Lab notebook

Experimental Procedure 

• Science Made Simple, Inc. (n.d.).  Metric conversions & US customary unit conversion calculator .  Retrieved April 15, 2013.
• Take five eggs out of the refrigerator, use a permanent marker to label them 1-5, and allow them to warm to room temperature.
• Pour 3 cups of water into your large container.
• Add 1 cup of salt.
• Stir to dissolve some of the salt. It will not all dissolve yet.
• Add 2 more cups of water.
• This may take several (5 to 10) minutes of stirring, so you may need to be patient.
• Label five of the plastic cups 1-5. Cup 1 will be for the stock solution, cups 2-4 will be for the dilutions, and Cup 5 will be plain tap water.
• Add 3/4 cup of your stock salt solution to Cup 1.
• Add 3/4 cup plain tap water to cups 2-5.
• Measure out 3/4 cup stock solution, and add it to Cup 2. Mix.
• Measure out 3/4 cup of the solution from Cup 2 and add it to Cup 3. Mix.
• Measure out 3/4 cup of the solution from Cup 3 and add it to Cup 4. Mix.
• What are the  absolute mass concentrations  of salt in cups 1-4? (To calculate with metric units, use these conversions: 1 cup of salt is 292 grams [g], 1 cup of water is 237 milliliters [mL], and 3/4 cup of stock solution is 177.75 milliliters [mL]). Write these concentrations down in your lab notebook. Review the Introduction section if you need help with your calculations.
• What are the  relative salt concentrations  in cups 2-4 compared to the original stock solution? Use the absolute mass concentrations that you calculated in the previous step for your calculations.  Example : Let’s assume that the original stock solution in Cup 1 has a salt concentration of 500 g/L. Cup 3 has a salt concentration of 125 g/L. The relative salt concentration can be calculated as the ratio of 125 g/L / 500 g/L, which is 0.25. Expressed as a percentage, this would be 25%. Therefore, Cup 3 has a relative salt concentration of 25% compared to Cup 1.
• Now, starting with Cup 5 and working your way up, test an egg in each solution to see if it will float. Use a soup spoon to lift the egg in and out of the cups.
• Be sure to record your results and observations in your lab notebook, including the egg’s number.
• Repeat steps 5-6 with four other eggs.
• Now you know, within a factor of 2, how much salt it takes to float an egg. How can you narrow down the range further to get a more precise estimate? By doing another serial dilution, of course.
• Figure out a new serial dilution with smaller steps. For example, you could try diluting the solution by 25 percent with each step. That means with each step, the new concentration should be 75 percent of the original concentration.
• Remember that you will need enough solution to more than cover the egg, which will probably be around 3/4 cup, and you probably cannot fit more than 2 cups of solution in each 16-oz cup.
• Hint:  You may only be able to test the first few cups in a dilution series at a time unless you use larger cups.
• Tip:  If you need additional help for making serial dilutions, check out the serial dilutions resource in the Bibliography in the Background section.
• Write up your new dilution procedure in your lab notebook, including the calculated relative and absolute salt concentrations for each cup.
• Make the new dilution series. Remember to start with the salt concentration where the egg first floated. (If you do not have enough solution from the original serial dilution, make some more by starting from the stock solution.)
• Repeat this step with the four other eggs.
• When you are done handling the eggs, wash your hands with soap and warm water. It is important to wash your hands after handling uncooked eggs because they may carry  Salmonella .
• Hint:  If the density of the saltwater is less than the egg’s density, the egg will sink, and if the density of the saltwater is greater than the egg’s density, the egg will float. So the density of the egg would be between these two absolute salt densities.
• Plot the densities for all five eggs on a chart, putting the egg’s number on the x-axis and its density on the y-axis. What is the density of the eggs? How much variation in density is there from egg to egg?
• Does a hard-boiled egg float at the same salt concentration as an uncooked one? Hint: You will need to measure the same egg before and after hard boiling and be very precise about your serial dilutions.
• Find out how much salt there is in sea water. From the results of your experiment, predict whether an egg would float or sink in sea water. (If you live close enough to the ocean, you can get collect some sea water and test your prediction!)
• Figure out another method of determining the density of an egg. Compare the density measurements for the same eggs using your method and this salt water float test.

This activity is brought to you in partnership with  Science Buddies . Find the original activity on the Science Buddies website.

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• 2nd Grade Science Curriculum

Floating Eggs

To teach students about density by showing that denser salt water will make an egg float.

Project Details

Grade Level

• 2 clear containers
• Measuring spoons
• Stirring spoon
• Does an egg float better in freshwater or saltwater?
• To begin your floating eggs experiment, fill your two containers with water. Make sure the amounts are equal.
• Use the measuring spoons to pour seven tablespoons of salt in the first container of water. Do not put any salt in the second container.
• Stir the container of water until the salt is completely dissolved. This may take a couple of minutes.
• Gently place one raw egg in each container.
• Watch the eggs for a few seconds. What happens?

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Floating Egg Experiment

This floating egg experiment is a lot of fun for kids to try! You can get an egg to float in the middle of the glass and it’s almost like a magic trick! You only need eggs, salt and water. Kids can learn about density with this cool science experiment!

RELATED: Dancing Corn Experiment

Floating Egg Science Experiment

Have you ever made an object float? How about when you go swimming in salt water, do you notice you float much more easily?

This science experiment explores the difference between salt water and fresh water and why objects float in salt water!

Watch the Video Tutorial!

The science.

This is a classic science experiment that shows how changes in the density of a liquid can affect whether an egg sinks or floats.

When you place an egg in regular water, it will sink to the bottom of the glass because the egg is denser than the water. There are more molecules per square inch in the egg than the water, causing the egg to sink.

When you start to add salt to the water, the salt dissolves and the molecules spread out and increase the density of the water. Now there are more molecules per square inch in the water, which causes the egg to float.

Water Only Glass

The egg sinks because it is more dense than fresh water, meaning there are more molecules per square inch.

Salt Water Glass

Adding salt to the water increases its density by adding more molecules per square inch, causing the egg to float. The egg is less dense than the salt water.

Water & Salt Water Glass

When you fill up the glass halfway with the salt water, the egg floats. When fresh water is added on top, it is less dense than the salt water, so it floats on top, allowing the egg to still float in the middle.

The egg continues to float in between the space where the fresh water meets the salt water because the egg is still less dense than the salt water but more dense than the fresh water.

How to do the Floating Egg Experiment

1. Carefully add your eggs into each cup.

You will need 3 eggs.

2. Pour fresh water (cold tap water is fine) into the first cup.

3. Make the salt water.

Boil hot water in a kettle. Adults to assist with this.

Add 1/4 cup of salt into a pouring cup.

Then add about 2 cups of the hot water.

Stir until dissolved and clear.

Add the hot water into the far right cup until the water line matches the first cup. The egg should now float in this cup.

Note: if it does not float, you need to repeat with more salt and try again.

4. Add the salt water into the middle cup.

Fill until halfway up the cup. The egg should still float. If you do not have enough salt water, repeat the step above to make more.

Now pour fresh water on top of the salt water. The egg should now stay in the middle of the cup.

Now you have all three cups showing how eggs can float or sink in water!

See more science experiments about density:

• Dancing Corn Experiment
• Oil & Water Experiment

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Salt Water Egg Experiment

Will it float or sink.

The Salt Water Egg Experiment explains why materials (such as an egg) float more in salt water than in fresh water.

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Have you ever tried swimming in the sea? Did you notice that you could float more easily in the open waters than when you're swimming in fresh water or even in a swimming pool? This experiment will help you understand why!

For the Salt Water Egg experiment you will need the following materials:

• Two containers
• Two raw eggs

• Fill the two containers with tap water.
• Add about 6 tablespoons of salt in one container and stir it well with a tablespoon until the salt has completely dissolved in the water.
• Place one egg in each of the containers and observe which one of the eggs float in the container and which one sinks.

The explanation behind this phenomenon is simple - DENSITY! In the Salt Water Egg experiment, you have observed that the egg placed in saltwater floated and the one in tap water didn't. Because saltwater is denser than fresh water, the egg does not end up sinking like it usually does!

Why is this so? Let's first discuss the definition of density and why objects sink. Density refers to the amount of matter contained in a given space or volume. When there's more amount of matter in a given space or volume, the object is then considered denser and at the same time heavier. However, this doesn't mean that density and weight is the same and can be used interchangeably.

Weight refers to the vertical force exerted by a mass of object when subjected to gravity. Unlike density, weight is dependent on the amount of gravity in a particular place. To make it clearer, let's take the egg as an example. The egg's density remains the same no matter where you bring it, whatever the amount of gravity is in that place. However, if you bring the same egg to space, where there is no gravity, it loses its weight! But its density remains the same. That's the difference between density and weight - gravity.

Why Objects Float or Sink

Now let's go back to the question of why objects float or sink. Placing an object that's denser than fresh water automatically sinks. In our Salt Water Egg experiment, because the egg is denser than tap water, it pushes away water particles so it can make space for itself hence the sinking motion. But in the case of the salt water, since it is heavier than ordinary tap water, it is more capable of holding the egg up - hence the egg floating. In easier words, objects sink when their own density is greater than the liquid's density.

Now you must be wondering what's in the salt that makes water denser when mixed with it? When salt is added and dissolved in water, it breaks down into ions that are then attracted to the water molecules. This attraction causes them to bind tightly, increasing the amount of matter per volume (density). Instead of just having the molecules hydrogen and oxygen in the water, sodium and chlorine joins the equation (since salt is made up of sodium and chlorine particles). Saltwater now has more particles in it compared to the ordinary tap water we started with. This is why saltwater is denser than tap water.

So next time you go to the beach or swim in the ocean, you already know the reason why it's so much easier to float in the open waters. In fact, an average person can float like a log with much less effort in saltwater than in fresh water. The key is, the denser the liquid the easier you'll float in it! Amazing huh?

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Explorable.com (Jan 20, 2011). Salt Water Egg Experiment. Retrieved Sep 07, 2024 from Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/salt-water-egg-experiment

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How to Make an Egg Float In Water!

There's something magical about this experiment.

You'll have to have a go and try it to believe it's not been faked! 

Luckily, you'll almost certainly have everything you need waiting for you in your kitchen.

What Do I Need?

• Clear glass

How Do I Do It?

STEP1   - Half fill your glass with water and gently lower the egg in.

WARNING:   It will sink so be careful otherwise you'll be needing another egg! So now we know that the egg sinks, take it back out again (use your teaspoon to scoop it back out).

STEP2   - Half fill your glass with water and add around 10 teaspoons of salt to it (you can't add 'too much' salt as it's a 'saturated solution' - that really just means that the water is 'full' of salt so any extra you add will just sit at the bottom of the glass.) Pop your egg in and watch it float, pretty cool, huh!

STEP3   - To make it look really magical, very slowly and carefully pour some tap water on top of your floating egg (you have to be very gentle so the fresh water doesn't mix with the salt water). You now have a floating egg!

What’s Going On?

It's all to do with density. 

The egg is slightly more dense that tap water (so it sinks initially) but less dense than the salt water (so it floats on top of that). 

The reason we're able to put the egg in the middle of the glass is, as long as we're careful, the less dense tap water sits on top of the more dense salt water and they don't mix together.

More Fun Please! - Experiment Like A Real Scientist!

• Here's an extra experiment so you can see what's really going on - try adding some food colouring to your glass and see what happens!
• Only the top half of the glass gets coloured, why is that?
• Does it have to be an egg that you use?
• What other objects could you try?

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Make an Egg Float

February 10, 2021 By Emma Vanstone 18 Comments

Fresh eggs sink, and older eggs float. Eggs have air cell that becomes bigger as they age. Once the air pocket is big enough to make the egg less dense than water, the egg floats!!

Another way to make an egg float is to increase the density of the water the egg is in! Once the water becomes denser than the egg, the egg will float. We can increase the density of water with salt.

This easy kitchen science experiment just needs salt, water and a container.

How to make an egg float

You’ll need.

• A bowl or large glass

Instructions

• Fill the bowl or glass about ⅔ full with tap water.
• Drop the egg carefully into the bowl and watch as it sinks to the bottom.
• Remove the egg and add salt to the water stirring continuously. Keep adding salt until the egg floats.

Why does an egg float in salty water?

Objects sink when they are more dense than water and float if they are less dense than water.

Adding salt increases the density of the water.

Once the water is more dense than the egg, the egg floats.

You could also try other objects to see what else you can make float. Just remember to check the object sinks in tap water first. Why not try one of my other sink or float experiments ?

More Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids

Find out how to make an egg bounce .

Discover how to bake ice cream in an oven without it melting .

Learn about the Maillard reactio n, find out what a l eavening agent is and more science in the kitchen with a science bake off !

Find out why honeycomb is bubbly .

Rainy Day Mum uses honeycomb to talk about igneous rocks!

I also have a HUGE collection of kitchen science experiments that will keep you busy for months!

Last Updated on May 5, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

January 23, 2012 at 3:43 pm

This is one of the first science ‘tricks’ I remember from primary school days :0) its cool!

January 23, 2012 at 4:05 pm

I love science experiments like this! Can’t wait to try it.

January 26, 2012 at 8:12 pm

Let us know if you enjoy it!

January 26, 2012 at 6:20 pm

Mmmh, I am sure I was told a floating egg is a bad egg.. is this how you can play tricks on people too? 🙂

Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

January 26, 2012 at 8:11 pm

January 26, 2012 at 7:29 pm

What a fun experiment. I can’t wait to put this experiment into our science lessons. I can’t believe how many fun experiments you do on your site. Educational and fun.

-Veronica @ http://watchmeplaynlearn.blogspot.com/

January 26, 2012 at 8:10 pm

wow, thank you. That is so lovely to hear. x

January 30, 2012 at 5:49 am

That is so cool. I never knew you could do that (unless the egg was bad) Thanks for sharing on Monday Madness.

January 30, 2012 at 12:42 pm

So glad you like it!

February 04, 2012 at 1:38 pm

oh, you know I LOVE it! Keeping this in my back pocket for around Easter – perfect!!!

thanks for sharing on the sunday showcase! I pinned this!

March 17, 2015 at 10:27 pm

I am doing this to show my class room 6.

March 29, 2017 at 2:18 pm

Wow so cool Had fun helping my daughter make it

April 17, 2020 at 5:36 pm

This is the best prank to pull on my son. He is in collage and he is a great chef. knows everything! Thanks.

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SCIENCE 4 FUN

Floating Eggs in Salt Water

Precaution:  Always wear safety goggles and hand gloves when dealing with chemicals. Also, take the permission from your parents for the experiment, or involve them.

Things You will Need

• Ordinary water
• Wide drinking glass
• Fill the glass with ordinary tap water.
• Place the egg in it, and watch the egg sinking to the bottom of the glass.
• Now take-out the egg from the glass and add 4 to 5 tablespoon full of salt in the water
• Stir the water in the glass to completely dissolve the salt.
• Again, place the egg back into the glass and watch the floating egg.

What is Happening?

When the egg is placed in common tap water it sinks to the bottom, because the density of water is less than the density of egg. But, when you add table salt in the tap water, its density is increased. When the density of water became higher than the density of egg, the egg floated.

Try to float an egg in the middle of the water.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Fill the glass half-way with water and add 4 tablespoons of table salt, then stir well.
• Fill a cup with ordinary tap water.
• Now, gently add the water from cup to half-filled glass so two layers of different density water don’t mix together.
• Now place the egg in the glass gently.

If two layers of water are not mixed together, the egg will float in the middle of the glass.

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Science project, floating eggs: a pre-breakfast experiment.

Before you get ready for a delicious scramble or omelet, add a bit of science to your morning routine! Do you know why some things float and other things don't? In this experiment, you'll use eggs (and a few scoops of salt) to study the science of floating.

Will an egg float better in salt water or fresh water?

• 2 clear containers
• Measuring spoons
• Stirring spoon
• To begin your floating eggs experiment, fill your two containers with water. Make sure the amounts are equal. When you're doing a comparing experiment like this, all the variables , or factors that make up the project, should be the same -- except one (in this case, salt water instead of fresh water).
• Use the measuring spoons to pour seven tablespoons of salt in the first container of water. Do not put any salt in the second container.
• Stir the container of water until the salt is completely dissolved. This may take a couple of minutes.
• Gently place one raw egg in each container.
• Watch the eggs for a few seconds. What happens?

The egg should float in salt water, but not in fresh water.

The key to this experiment is density . Density deals with how closely packed together a substance is. You can see density in your food. Imagine you have two bowls that are the same size. In one bowl, you have a salad, but the other one is full of a pot pie. Even though each bowl is filled with food, the pot pie is much denser because the ingredients are smooshed closer together than a light salad of lettuce and just a few vegetables.

In the same way, salt water is denser than fresh water. The molecules are packed tighter, and this density allows an egg to float on the water's surface. Remember that eggs have density too, but because an egg's density is less than salt water's density, you saw floating eggs. On the other hand, an egg is denser than fresh water -- that's why it sunk to the bottom of the container.

Equipped with just a bowl of salt water and a bowl of fresh water, you can test the density of all sorts of ingredients in your kitchen. Do you think a mushroom would float in both liquids? What about a block of cheese? You can even bring out the eggs again -- what do you think would happen if you tried a hard boiled egg instead of a raw one? Keep guessing and testing like a real scientist!

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How Does Salt Water Make an Egg Float?

How to Float an Egg in Water

Demonstration.

Fill two clear glasses with lukewarm water. Pour 1 tablespoon of salt into one glass, and stir until the salt dissolves. Gently drop a fresh egg into the plain water. The egg will sink to the bottom. Remove the egg and place it in the saltwater. The egg will float.

How It Works

Objects sink in liquids when their density is greater than that of the liquid. Conversely, objects float when the density of the liquid is greater than that of the object. An egg has greater density than plain water, so it sinks. Salt increases the density of water, however. The denser the water, the easier it is for an egg or other object to float.

More About Density

The higher the salt content of water, the higher an object will float. If you add less than 1 tablespoon of salt to a glass of water, it is possible to make the egg float in the middle. This also can be accomplished by adding 1 tablespoon of salt to water and not stirring. Because the salt is denser than the water, the salt will sink. When you drop the egg into the water, it will sink through the plain water until it reaches the saltwater at the bottom of the glass. The density of the saltwater prevents the egg from sinking any lower, so the egg will float in the middle of the glass.

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About the Author

Angela Powell Watson has written for dozens of print and online resources, and recently published her first book. Watson holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Art from Hood College, a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Maryland College and National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist.

Photo Credits

Steve Baccon/Photodisc/Getty Images

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