﻿ Article Title | Interact | physics.org  One In The Hand  Eggs
are traditionally thought of as being very fragile, but in fact
the physics behind their shape is astounding.     • raw egg   •
plastic bag or glove (for the unconfident!)   Challenge audience
members to break the egg just by squeezing it. Let them wrap the
egg in a plastic bag or wear a glove if they're worried… Believe
it or not, it can't be done!  How Does it Work?  The shape of an
egg is actually one of the strongest designs possible. The
curved structure means that applying pressure to any particular
area actually spreads the force out over the entire egg. So just
squeezing it won't cause it to break. Of course applying a very
sharp force to one point WILL cause it to break – which is why
we usually tap the egg on the side of a bowl to break it when
cooking.  Tips for Success  Ask your volunteers to remove any
rings etc. before trying this trick – the sharp uneven force
from such metal objects can cause the egg to break. Check your
eggs for