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Rubber Egg: How Cavities Form
Chemical reactions occur inside our bodies all the time. If your child has trouble remembering to brush his teeth, this activity is a great way to show him how cavities form.
Materials
- Egg
- Small container
- Vinegar
- Chicken bone
Directions
- Have your child place an egg in a small container and cover it with vinegar.
- Set the container aside for 24 hours.
- Pour out the vinegar and gently pick up the egg. Squeeze it. The acid in the vinegar will have dissolved the minerals in the eggshell so that it's now soft and rubbery.
- Repeat the experiment with a chicken bone. In 3-4 days, the bone will be rubbery.
- The bacteria in your mouth produce acid that dissolves the enamel on your teeth in the same way that the acid in the vinegar dissolved the minerals in the eggshell and chicken bone. Remind your children to brush their teeth often to remove bacteria and keep their teeth healthy and strong.
More on: Activities for Kids
Copyright © 2001 by Patricia Kuffner. Excerpted from The Children's Busy Book with permission of its publisher, Meadowbrook Press.
To order this book visit Meadowbrook Press.
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