Goal
To see how an egg “fries” without needing fire, oil, or a pan.
Materials
- Plate
- Raw egg
- 96-degree alcohol
How to Do It
Crack the egg onto the plate and then pour the alcohol over it.
What You’ll See
Little by little (you’ll start seeing the effect almost right away, but the full result will take about an hour), the egg white will change color and become solid, just like a real fried egg. The yolk will stay liquid underneath the white part.
Why It Happens
When you usually fry an egg, the heat causes the proteins inside the egg to change their structure. This change is called denaturation, and it can happen not just from heat but also when the egg comes into contact with certain things, like the ethanol in the alcohol.
You can also get a similar and interesting effect if you whisk the egg before adding the alcohol. In that case, you’ll get something that looks like a “scrambled” egg that will take the shape of the container, like a custard.
