Make a Mummy

Ancient Egyptians used chemicals to dry out, or desiccate, bodies they mummified. Try this experiment to make your own mummified apple.


What You Need

• 1 apple, cut in 4 pieces
• Masking tape
• Felt marker
• 4 plastic containers
• Food scale (optional)
• 250 mL Epsom salts
• 250 mL table salt
• 250 mL baking soda


What to Do
1. Use the masking tape and marker to label the 4 containers: Control, Epsom Salts, Table Salt, and Baking Soda.

2. If you have a scale, weigh a piece of apple. Record the weight and place the apple in the container labelled Control.

3. Repeat step 2 for the other apple slices, placing each one in a different container.

4. Pour the Epsom salts over the apple slice in the container labelled Epsom Salts. Repeat for the other containers. Make sure the apples are completely covered. Don’t add anything to the apple in the container labelled Control.

5. Set the containers away from direct sunlight.

6. After one week, remove each apple slice and brush off as much salt or baking soda as possible. Weigh each slice again and compare the weight and size of the four slices. Which chemical works best for mummifying?


How it Works
Salts remove water from things, including apples and you, too. (That’s why you feel thirsty after eating salty foods.) The salts probably worked best in your experiment. Ancient Egyptians used natron, a salt-like chemical, to dry out their mummies.

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