The
"Powers" of the Equinox? |
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On the Equinoxes (approx. March 20 and September 22) the amount of day and night are of equal length--approximately 12 hours each. There's a "balance" of light and dark at almost all locations on Earth.
| Some people believe that there is another kind of "balance" on the Equinoxes, a special kind of force that will make a raw egg balance on its own end! Do you think this is true? Is there some sort of cosmic "balance" that makes eggs stand on their own on the Equinoxes, but not on other days? Is there a scientific way for you to test this? |
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Is there some special force that exists on the Equinox that allows eggs to balance on end? Test for yourself!
When to Try This Experiment:
Scientific proof lies in repeated testing, to see if the results are repeated or different with each test. It is important that you perform this testing many times too, before, on, and after the Equinox, on the following schedule:
- Once per week for the two weeks before the Equinox;
- On the Equinox;
- And once per week for the two weeks after the Equinox.
Materials Needed:
- Eggs (raw, in the shell)
- A smooth flat surface (and a steady hand)
- Confidence your students will not break the eggs
- Student Journals
Follow These Steps
- Before
beginning the experiment, have students record their initial hypothesis
in their Journal. (Is there some special force that exists on the
Equinox that allows eggs to balance on end?)
- Use
enough eggs so that there is one egg per student or group.
- Mark
each egg, so each group uses the same egg in all tests.
- On
a flat surface, have the students or groups try to balance their
egg on end. Students should record their results. This experiment
should be performed once a week for two weeks before the Equinox,
then on the Equinox, and then for two weeks after the Equinox. Be
sure to refrigerate the eggs between experiments!
- Students should record their findings in their Journals after each experiment.
(Read what Scientists say AFTER you have complted your experiment >>)
- Do eggs balance on the Equinox?
- How about on other testing days?
- Compare your test results. Does there appear to be something different occurring on the Equinox?
- How do you interpret the data you have gathered?
- What variables can you think of which might impact whether an egg can balance on its own?
- What conclusion(s) can you draw? Refer to the Scientist Says Lesson and write a scientific paper on your research.
National Science Education Standards
Science
as Inquiry
Use data to conduct a reasonable explanation. (K-4)
Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. (5-8)
Science investigations involve asking and answering a question and comparing that to what scientists already know about the world. (K-4)
Scientists use different kinds of investigations depending on the questions they are trying to answer. Types of investigations include describing objects, events, and organisms; classifying them; and doing a fair test (experimenting). (K-4)
Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. (5-8)
Earth
and Space Science
The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth's surface,
such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle.
Seasons result from variations in the amount of sun's energy hitting
the surface, due to the tilt of the earth's rotation on its axis and
the length of the day. (5-8)
