ERIC Number: EJ1337727
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Mar
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-9120
EISSN: N/A
The Egg Steamer Paradox
Flach, S.; Parnovsky, S.; Varlamov, A. A.
Physics Education, v57 n2 Article 025002 Mar 2022
Why do we need to pour less water in an egg steamer to prepare more eggs to the same degree of 'doneness'? We discuss the physical processes at work in the electric egg steamer and resolve this seeming paradox. We demonstrate that the main heat transfer mechanism from steam to egg is due to latent heat through condensation. This not only explains the paradox, but also allows us to estimate the amount of water reduction. Comparing the preparation time to the one for traditional boiling, we estimate the eggshell temperature during steaming. We also describe the device design and provide further theoretical estimates and experimental kitchen measurement data for this appealing kitchen experiment that can be easily accomplished at home.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Physics, Heat, Scientific Concepts, Concept Formation, Thermodynamics, Molecular Structure, Food, Measurement, Science Experiments
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A