When everyone else is out of her classroom, Amy takes over and does some quite amazing experiments. She specializes in discrepant events. Watch and try to predict what will happen. Expect to be quite amazed.

This month, Amy tackles the "Egg in The Bottle Mystery."

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Egg in The Bottle Mystery

Materials
milk bottle
hard-boiled egg with shell removed
small wood splints
matches
safety glasses and gloves

Procedure
1. Use the matches to light the wood splints and quickly drop them into the glass bottle.
2. Immediately place the egg on the mouth of the bottle.
3. Observe what happens.

Background
The expansion and contraction of air as its temperature changes permits the egg to enter the bottle. You may notice that when the egg is placed on the mouth of the bottle it vibrates and wobbles a bit. This is because the heated air inside the bottle is expanding, and escaping. When the flame dies out, the air inside the bottle quickly cools and contracts, creating a vacuum inside. The air pressure from above the mouth of the bottle tries to get inside to fill the vacuum, pushing the egg through with it.

If you are hesitant to work with flames, the event can be observed by simply heating the bottle, inside and out, with hot water. Pour out the water and then quickly place the egg on the mouth. As the bottle cools, the same phenomenon will occur.

To remove the egg, reverse the situation. The greater air pressure must be inside the bottle. Turn the bottle over so that the egg blocks the mouth. Then, blow into the bottle, vibrating the egg, which then acts as a seal, trapping the air inside. When enough air is trapped inside, the air will push the egg back out.

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