Balancing an Egg Myth

A common misconception is that you can balance an egg on its end, but only on the vernal equinox (first day of Spring).  I previously discussed this on this blog about a year ago in one of this blog's very first posts.  Each year I have my high school students prove this myth incorrect by balancing eggs on end...in May.  This year I have pictures.

As you can see, balancing an egg is relatively easy to do.  The first student accomplished the task in less than a minute.  Some eggs are easier to balance than others, but usually you can get an egg to balance with enough patient.  You can do this on any day of the year and any time as long as you have the patient to see the task to completion.  

If you are an especially patient person, it is possible to balance an egg on the narrow end.  

It took this student less than 5 minutes to balance the egg on the narrow end.  

I encourage you to do this task with your own children.  There's a very good chance they will be taught this myth (that you can only balance an egg on March 21/22) sometime during their school years.  Don't let this misconception stick with them.  Teach them the truth!