Egg Shell
Hollow Block
The Effectiveness of using egg shells as an alternative in making a hollow block
Members:
Cecilia Amor Fenol
Maria Riza Berna Sabate
Jamie Kathleen Sy
Reah Grace Camongol
Nicole Mejia
Chapter I- Statement of the Problem and its Background
I. Statement of the Problem
How effective is the egg shell as an alternative for sand in making a hollow block?
II- Background of the Study
Egg Shells
Calcium carbonate, CaCO3, is found in nature giving hardness and strength to things such as seashells, rocks, and eggshells. As hard as this substance is, it will react readily with hydrochloric acid to yield carbon dioxide gas (and two other products). In this experiment students will design an experiment by reacting eggshells with 3 M HCl to compare the calcium carbonate composition of white (chicken) eggshells to brown eggshells. A good quality eggshell will contain, on average, 2.2 grams of calcium in the form of calcium carbonate. Approximately 94% of a dry eggshell is calcium carbonate and has a typical mass of 5.5 grams, although these values can differ depending on sources. Amounts as low as 78% have been published. The remaining mass is composed largely of phosphorus and magnesium, and trace amounts of sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, iron, and copper. In the case of brown versus white eggs, a definitive difference in calcium carbonate amounts may be hard to uncover. However, consider this. The color of the eggs is nothing more than a result of a different breed. The quality,
nutritional value, and taste are identical between white and brown eggs, though two
notable differences are size and price. Brown eggs are usually larger and slightly more
expensive. The reason for the price increase is because brown eggs come from larger hens, which need to be fed more food daily. With a larger intake of calcium each day, one might expect the produced egg to have a higher calcium carbonate content. However, since the eggs are larger, it must be kept in mind that the calcium is spread over a larger surface area during egg formation. A brown eggshell’s increased tendency to break, when compared to white, is often attributed to this “thinning out” of calcium during deposition.
III. Hypothesis
Sands are more effective than egg shells since it is proven and tested by the construction workers in constructing purposes. Maybe egg shells can be used as an alternative but it must be pulverized first and conduct an activity to test its effectiveness.
IV. Significance of the Study
We will conduct this experiment to test the effectiveness of using an egg shell as an alternative for sand in making a hollow block. We want to discover something that is affordable in constructing at the same time, we want to try for another constructing materials that can help during the time of an earthquake. We want to test and discover something as a replacement for sand so that collapsing of buildings can be avoided or lessen probably. Since eggshells are thrown after its content has been cooked, we will be using it to recycle and at the same to produce something that is usable. This egg shell hollow block will help to lessen the financial crisis that we are encountering right now.
V. Scope and Limitation
We are curious if eggshells can be used in constructing materials. Nowadays, construction materials, especially hollow block, are of high value that is why having a well constructed house will cost you fortunes. A possible substitute for this is eggshell. Everyday, we eat eggs but always neglect its shell. Now with our experiment, we will
find ways to make the egg shell beneficial as we try to produce hollow block from it. The problem will last until or experiment is done. After it, we arrived into a conclusion and our curiosity is answered.
VI. Definition of Terms
>Calcium Carbonate- the combination of calcium and carbonate found in egg shells in giving its hardness and strength.
> Hydrochloric Acid- commonly called muriatic acid used to remove rust and paints from metals and concretes.
Chapter II- Review of Related Literature
Cement:
Cement is a fine, soft, powdery-type substance. It is made from a mixture of elements that are found in natural materials such as limestone, clay, sand and/or shale. When cement is mixed with water, it can bind sand and gravel into a hard, solid mass called concrete. A cement can be purchased from most building supply stores in bags. It is usually gray. White cement can also be found but it is usually more expensive than gray cement. It is mixed with water, sand and gravel, forms concrete, cement plaster and mortar. Cement powder is very, very fine. One kilo (2.2 lbs) contains over 300 billion grains, although we haven't actually counted them to see if that is completely accurate! The powder is so fine it will pass through a sieve capable of holding water.
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar (though the word "masonry" sometimes means the stones, rather than the act or art of building, particularly in the expression "falling masonry" used in reports of fires and earthquakes). The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone such as marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, and tile. Masonry is generally a highly durable form of construction. However, the materials used, the quality of the mortar and workmanship, and the pattern the units are put in can strongly affect the durability of the overall masonry construction.
Chapter III- Methodology
I. Materials
Egg shells
White Cement
Water
Mortar and Pestle
Containers
Sand
Possible Materials to be used
II. Procedures
1. Gather egg shells. Wash it and let it dry.
2. Dry it under the sun.
3. Pound the egg shell using a mortar and pestle.
4. Gather the pulverized egg shells in a container.
5. Mix the egg shells and the white cement in a separate container with water. Mix it with the right measurement appropriate in making a hollow block.
6. Mix it until it is blended well. Then put it in a container.
7. Dry it under the sun to vaporize the water it contains.
8. Also mix the sand and white cement with water in a separate container. Let it dry under the sun.
9. After the egg shell and sand hollow blocks has been dried, make a simple activity to test their effectiveness.
10. Drop the egg shell and sand hollow block containers. The height must be 2 feet high above the ground.
11. Observe the cracks in each container.
Chapter IV- Results and Discussion
I. Results
| Materials Used | Mass (kg) | Observations |
| Egg Shells | 2 kg | It shows that there is a crack but it is lesser than the cracks of the sand hollow block. |
| Sand | 2 kg | It shows that there is a crack and it breaks into pieces. It has greater cracks compared to the egg shell hollow block. |
II. Discussion
From the activity we have conducted, it shows that egg shells are effective in making a hollow block. It is obvious that from the number of cracks produced when the two containers are dropped, we can easily determine their durability and strength. Both egg shells and sand can be used to make hollow blocks, but based on our activity, egg shells are more effective because it shows lesser cracks compared to sand. The dropping of the containers represents the earthquake and we have proven that egg shells are effective and can be used as an alternative for sand.
Chapter V- Conclusion and Recommendation
I. Conclusion
We therefore conclude that egg shells can be used as an alternative for sand in making a hollow block. It is more effective and shows lesser cracks as it is dropped from a height of 2 feet. It can be used to lessen the expenses and at the same time we helped the environment by recycling these egg shells. According to our research, the reason why egg shells are effective in making hollow block is because it contains Calcium Carbonate that gives hardness and strength. We also concluded that this egg shell hollow block can be used to support building so that when earthquake strikes our country, its strength and durability will show.
II. Recommendation
Study shows from our activity that egg shells can be used as an alternative for sand in making a hollow block. It can be used in constructing buildings and other construction purposes. Using this will lessen your expenses and can help the country in the financial crisis we are experiencing right now.
Masonry is commonly used for the walls of buildings, retaining walls and monuments. Brick is the most common type of masonry and may be either weight-bearing or a veneer. Concrete block masonry is rapidly gaining in popularity as a comparable material. Blocks - most of which have hollow cores - offer various possibilities in masonry construction, generally providing great compressive strength, and they're generally best suited to structures with light transverse loading when the cores remain unfilled. Filling some or all of the cores with concrete or concrete with steel reinforcement (typically "rebar") offers much greater tensile and lateral strength to structures.
