Why do eggs get smaller if put in maple syrup?

Eggs don't actually get smaller when put in maple syrup. This is a common misconception!

Here's what happens:

* Osmosis: When an egg is placed in maple syrup, the syrup draws water out of the egg through a process called osmosis. This is because the syrup has a higher concentration of sugar than the egg's contents, creating a difference in osmotic pressure.

* Shrinking appearance: The loss of water from the egg makes it appear smaller and more wrinkled.

* No actual loss of mass: The egg doesn't actually lose mass; it just loses water, which is replaced by the syrup.

So, the egg doesn't shrink, it just dehydrates and becomes more concentrated.