Egg Drop Challenge: Designing a Way to Keep an Egg Intact

In summary, your physics assignment involved designing and testing a way for an egg to fall from a three-story building and not crack. The only requirements were that the egg be visible in at least one place and the smallest design would win. However, you were unable to come up with a design that worked, and you were only able to beat the other students to the smallest design by figuring out what they did and varying your design.
  • #1
mranderson556
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For my physics assignment we have to design and test a way to allow an egg to fall from a three storey building and not crack. The only requirments are the egg must be visible in atleast one place and the smallest design wins. I tried making a crumple area and then protecting the egg with ziplock bags full of air but they popped and the egg broke leaving me with few ideas on how to succed. Thank you in advance
 
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  • #2
Welcome to PF;
Parachute? Helium balloon?
Glue or tape the ziplock bags shut - or use stronger bags - or reinforce the bags with tape?

Your trouble is not in getting a design that works, it is beating the others to smallest design - without knowing what that will be first.

How is "smallest" being measured?
ie. you can pack a parachute into a small volume to deploy when dropped.
There is also the "Jamie method" - the device is a spool of thread that unwinds on a brake, suspend the egg on the line ... this is very small, but most of the contraption is left behind and the egg is not so much dropped as lowered. You can get out of that by lowering the egg almost all the way and releasing the thread so it drops an inch or so. easy to protect against that right?

However - there is a limit to how much anyone can help you on this. The point of the exercise is that you should do the experiments to figure it out for yourself (then pay attention to how the others did it after the final test). The process of figuring it out is the point.

But there is nothing stopping you looking at other people's designs online - there are lots.
Make sure you understand what they did and vary the design so it is yours.
 
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  • #3
Good set of ideas from Simon.
If it really must free fall, no parachute etc., then the trick is to absorb the impact energy over the shortest distance consistent with the max force the egg will take. In particular, it is better to have a constant retarding force than one which increases as the impact progresses (such as would happen with rubber pads, etc.).
E.g. consider the egg fitting snugly inside a cardboard tube which, somehow, hits the ground vertically with the egg near the top end. The force on the egg as it slides down would be a constant kinetic friction. Might have to encapsulate the egg to spread the force on the bottom half of the shell.
 

FAQ: Egg Drop Challenge: Designing a Way to Keep an Egg Intact

What is the Egg Drop Challenge?

The Egg Drop Challenge is an experiment where participants are tasked with designing and creating a contraption that can protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a certain height.

What materials can be used for the Egg Drop Challenge?

Participants can use a variety of materials such as straws, popsicle sticks, rubber bands, balloons, and paper to construct their contraption. The key is to use materials that will absorb the impact and cushion the egg.

What are some tips for a successful Egg Drop Challenge?

Some tips for a successful Egg Drop Challenge include making sure the egg is securely held in place, using materials that can absorb shock and distribute impact, and testing the contraption at different heights to find the best design.

What is the purpose of the Egg Drop Challenge?

The Egg Drop Challenge is a fun and creative way to learn about engineering and physics principles such as gravity, force, and energy. It also encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Can the Egg Drop Challenge be modified for different age groups?

Yes, the Egg Drop Challenge can be modified for different age groups by adjusting the height of the drop and the complexity of the materials used. It can be a fun activity for kids as young as preschoolers and can also be a challenging project for high school students and adults.

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