Egg Structure and Strength
Eggs are less likely to crack when they fall on their side, according to experiments with over 200 eggs. This discovery has sparked interesting discussions about the best way to handle eggs, especially when it comes to cooking them.
What does this mean for the best way to crack an egg for breakfast? Not much, since a break around the middle is the best way to get the golden yolk and runny whites to ooze out. However, this new information could be useful when it comes to hard-boiling eggs in a pot. Dropping eggs in horizontally may be less likely to cause a stray crack that can unleash the egg’s insides in a puffy, cloudy mess.
Common Misconceptions About Egg Strength
It’s commonly thought that eggs are strongest at their ends — after all, it’s how they’re packaged in the carton. The thinking is that the arc-shaped bottom of an egg redirects the force and softens the blow of impact. But is this really the case?
But when scientists squeezed eggs in both directions during a compression test, they cracked under the same amount of force. This suggests that the strength of an egg is not as straightforward as we might think.
Experiments and Simulations
The researchers also ran simulations and dropped eggs horizontally and vertically from three short heights up to 0.4 inches (10 millimeters). The egg result? The ones dropped horizontally cracked less. This unexpected outcome has raised some interesting questions about the structure and strength of eggs.
“The fun started when we thought we would get one result and then we saw another,” said Hudson Borja da Rocha with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who helped run the experiments. The team’s findings have challenged common assumptions about egg strength and could have implications for a range of applications, from cooking to packaging.
Understanding Egg Structure
Scientists found that the egg’s equator was more flexible and absorbed more of the energy of the fall before cracking. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Communications Physics. This new understanding of egg structure could help us to better protect eggs from damage and improve the way we handle them.
“The common sense is that the egg in the vertical direction is stronger than if you lay the egg down. But they proved that’s not the case,” said materials scientist Marc Meyers with the University of California, San Diego who was not involved with the new study. The study’s results highlight the importance of challenging our assumptions and exploring the complexities of everyday objects like eggs.
Implications and Applications
Eggs are also usually nestled top-down into homemade contraptions for egg drop challenges as part of school STEM projects, which partially inspired the new study. It’s not yet clear whether the new results will help protect these vulnerable eggs, which are dropped at much loftier heights. However, the study’s findings could have implications for a range of applications, from cooking to packaging and beyond.
It’s a bit counterintuitive that the oblong side of an egg could hold up better against a tumble, said study co-author Tal Cohen with Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Countless broken eggs show “the courage to go and challenge these very common, accepted notions,” Cohen said.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study’s findings highlight the importance of challenging our assumptions and exploring the complexities of everyday objects like eggs. By understanding the structure and strength of eggs, we can better protect them from damage and improve the way we handle them. Whether you’re a scientist, a chef, or simply an egg enthusiast, this new information is sure to crack you up.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FAQs
Q: What did the study find about the strength of eggs?
A: The study found that eggs are less likely to crack when they fall on their side, and that the egg’s equator is more flexible and absorbs more of the energy of the fall before cracking.
Q: What are the implications of the study’s findings?
A: The study’s findings could have implications for a range of applications, from cooking to packaging and beyond. They could also help us to better protect eggs from damage and improve the way we handle them.
Q: How might the study’s findings affect the way we cook eggs?
A: The study’s findings suggest that dropping eggs in horizontally may be less likely to cause a stray crack that can unleash the egg’s insides in a puffy, cloudy mess. This could be useful when it comes to hard-boiling eggs in a pot.
