How Can You Design an Egg Protective Capsule with Cardboard and a Parachute?

[gibxam]

Hello I am going to be trying to make a capsule to protect an uncooked egg from being dropped from approximately 12 feet. There will be a parachute attached to the top when it is dropped. The capsule should be made of raw materiel such as card board or paper and no food products can be used. I am curious what kind of designs people may think will be best at protecting the egg. Note that it should be as light as possible and the egg must be fully covered. This is a rough idea that I had:

The idea is that because the bottom is open it as well as the parachute will apply an increase in air resistance to help slow the capsule as well as add a large surface area to land on while also applying the least amount of force to the egg as possible.

Please feel free to let me know your thoughts on my design as well as one of your own. Thank you

-Max

 

[pallidin]

Foam rubber might be helpful.

Or, maybe glue 3 small air-filled balloons around the egg. At only 12-feet that should work.

 

[sir-pinski]

Your idea of creating a protective capsule for the egg drop experiment is very interesting. The use of raw materials like cardboard or paper is a good choice as they are lightweight and can provide some cushioning for the egg. I also like the addition of a parachute to help slow the descent and distribute the force of impact.

One suggestion I have is to add some sort of shock-absorbing material inside the capsule, such as foam or cotton balls, to further protect the egg from impact. You could also consider adding layers of paper or cardboard to increase the thickness and strength of the capsule.

Another design idea could be to create a cone-shaped capsule with a pointed bottom. This way, the capsule will have a smaller surface area and will be more aerodynamic, reducing the impact of air resistance during the drop. The pointed bottom can also serve as a shock absorber upon landing.

Overall, it's important to keep in mind the weight and size limitations for the capsule, as well as ensuring that the egg is fully covered and protected. Good luck with your experiment!