# Punha has a fun moment; or, is this really true?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 17, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258 "2001-04-17T06:16:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258/1 "2001-04-17T06:16:14Z")

</div>

This, as is the case with the last thread I started, has nothing to do with how horny I am, how horny my roommate is, or my lack of a sex life. Sorry, **matt\_mcl** 😉

Anyway. So **punhasister1** , a 17-year-old senior with some wacky friends, informs me that her friend Bruce’s physics teacher said it takes 170 lbs of pressure to either end of an egg to break said egg. So my father goes and breaks one, and I think it took him about three seconds. His wasn’t as flat as mine, which tells me he could tell it was breaking and stopped.

So I go into the kitchen with a (cooked) easter egg and place it between my wrists, sorta on my palms but not exactly. Ends in place and such. And after about five seconds of pushing, suddenly there’s this great big “PLACK!” and the thing goes flat as a pancake.

Now, I’m not exactly Steve Urkel here. I’d like to believe my arms (and upper body in general) possess some measurable and significant amount of strength. But is this guy’s teacher for real? Does it actually take 170 lbs of pressure? Is that per square inch, or overall?

Have any of the rest of y’all done this? Scylla? Other reasonably strong dopers?

And have I lost my mind with wanting to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for most eggs broken in 30 seconds using my wrists/palms?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Palmyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@Palmyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palmyra)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258/2 "2001-04-17T07:07:17Z")

</div>

i think you need sleep. or a hobby. definitely plenty of eggs. and a girl. and clean sheets ;).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258/3 "2001-04-17T11:30:13Z")

</div>

Sleep, a hobby, eggs, a girl and clean sheets.

I can do the sleep, though not right now. I have hobbies.

You’ll have to be more specific on the eggs.

Girl I can’t arrange, as I’ve no prospects here.

My sheets are clean.

Any volunteers?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258/4 "2001-04-17T13:19:18Z")

</div>

Try a raw egg in one hand.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258/5 "2001-04-17T13:38:30Z")

</div>

Zebra, I’ve done that. All it takes is a couple seconds (if that) of thumb pressure on one of the sides.

My hand isn’t large enough to be able to exert anywhere near the pressude needed to crack an egg from the ends.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punha-has-a-fun-moment-or-is-this-really-true/62258/6 "2001-04-17T13:48:15Z")

</div>

Iya ' **puna**  
As I understand it, an egg is a nearly perfect shapoe for distributing force, so it’s very strong for the thickness of its shell.

Like Zebra said: take a raw egg and squeeze it in on hand, without pressing in with your thumb. If you distribute the forces evenly, it’s nearly impossible to crush it. However, if you apply force unevely, or just to a point, it’s all over.