Breaking the Myth: Eggs Falling Down—Horizontally Or Vertically?
Scientists reveal optimal window of fragility for eggs to shatter easily
Got a question that's been tickling the back of your mind in the kitchen, during physics class, or even when you're competing in the Egg Drop Challenge? Here's the answer you've been seeking: it's all about the angle a raw egg falls at when it hits the ground.
Turns out, our everyday kitchen mishaps and scholarly debates might have been based on a misunderstanding. An MIT research team has recently disproven the conventional wisdom that eggs are less likely to break when they fall upright. In a riveting experiment involving 180 eggs dropped from various heights, they found that eggs are more resilient when they land horizontally, as opposed to vertically.
Yep, you read that right! The findings, reported in the journal Communications Physics, have turned kitchen wisdom on its head. Surprisingly, more than half of the eggs dropped from a height of just eight millimeters shattered, regardless of which end was pointing down, when dropped vertically. In comparison, less than 10% of the eggs dropped from a horizontal position broke.
Busting Myths with Science
Now, you might be thinking—isn't it common sense that eggs should be more durable when they fall upright, given their arch-like shape? Well, not quite. The research team explains that eggs are more flexible in the middle, allowing them to absorb more energy before breaking when dropped horizontally. On average, they can absorb about 30% more energy in a horizontal position, according to their study.
With this new insight, it's crucial to separate the concepts of stiffness, resilience, and strength when it comes to eggs. Although they might appear stiffer when compressed upright, they are not necessarily more resilient—making them more prone to breaking.
So next time you're faced with a mysterious egg shell in the kitchen, take a moment to ponder this fascinating finding. After all, who knew science could be so deliciously unexpected?
Source: ntv.de, sba/dpa
- Food
- Physics
- The breakthrough in egg dropping experiments, led by a research team from MIT, sheds light on the misconception that food items, specifically eggs, are more resilient when they fall upright.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness and education-and-self-development, this insight into physics underscores the importance of understanding the concepts of stiffness, resilience, and strength when dealing with seemingly ordinary objects.
- As technology continues to advance and scientific discoveries multiply, more surprises and learnings await us in the realms of food, science, and fitness-and-exercise, making every day a learning opportunity.
