Designing a Device for Catching Eggs Dropped from Various Heights

[medix]

Device that catches an egg!

We have a physics project. We are droping an egg from 9.91 meters. We have to use a

device that will catch an egg from that height. We can use anything that we want to use to

catch the egg. I am trying to get the least height. What materials should we use or any

designs. I have no clue what to do. I have thought of somethings but they have failed. I

need help. TY

 

[Naty1]

Cook an egg to show your ingenuity...and/or encase it in liquid chocolate, or rubber...or wrap it in bubble wrap before dropping...then solve the real problem...

how about a container of water?? a bed mattress...if that's too hard, how about a stretched sheet? if that's too stiff, how about a stretched rubber membrane??

The ultimate "catcher" for softness might be a heavy gas...

 

[James Leighe]

A strange idea:

Have the egg fall into a balloon skin, being held open and off the ground and that you have also threaded around the neck with string in such a way that it will close and seal like a coinbag. The string should be tied to rubber bands so that it will absorb the impact and seal the bag at the same time preventing the egg from flying out.

Try tying the rubber bands / string to a device off to one end, it will pick up angular momentum and can just spin itself down around a rod allowing you to have a shorter setup. You may have to pad the rod moderately and having some light padding (toilet paper?) ready in the balloon itself won't be bad either.

I have illustrated a crappy example, but you should experiment with what I just mentioned about having it spin down by having it tied off to an angle around something which it could wrap.

 

[medix]

Thank you for your ideas. that will get me started. ty

 

[Acerei]

Here is another idea. If you stretch a thin sheet over a 40 degree angle (relative to the surface), you can cleverly and inefficiently split the egg's momentum between the x and y axis, into a bag full of toilet paper? The sheet has to be fairly loose for catching the egg, and having the ability to slow it down safely. I will post video in a few minutes demonstrating my idea. ;)

 

[Acerei]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?videos=BV86xntoM_Q&v=fztOJTAvNPE
here is the video
skip straight to 9:18ish, and watch Jackie Chan fall. See how the sheet is used to redirect his momentum from y to a composite of x and y? that is what i mean.

The sheet must not be stretched over the 40 degree angle, but the landing will be at 80 degree angle, gently redirecting to the x. use the video as a guide line...

p.s. i know the stunt isn't real, but the idea is still there.

 

[Char. Limit]

I thought of a stretchy skin as well...

Why do you need to create x momentum? If you have a trampolinoid surface that is flat, the egg should be fine.

 

[Acerei]

well, yes, it most likely will, but this is a precaution.
i just don't take a height of nearly 10m as a joke, considering the forces involved.
i remember dropping from 5m, and nearly 80% of the class messed that one up.
besides, there is a greater simplicity in finding the materials (just a sheet, nothing special)

 

[Buckleymanor]

I thought of a bucket or bin of water with a tall side to prevent splashing.

 

[Char. Limit]

Well, I do have just the credentials for such an event (I won an 8th grade egg destruction derby) and as such believe that my idea would work much better (I have only some idea of what I'm talking about) than your foolish and possibly life-threatening theory (it would likely work as good or better).

 

[Acerei]

not to head too far off track, but at which point is it foolish and life threatening?

 

[Char. Limit]

Haha, I was trying to sound pompous and arrogant. The comments in parentheses are more real than the main comments.

I will state, however, that I did win an 8th grade egg destruction derby, and am thus an expert on all matters relating to an eggs motion and shell stability. Isn't that what winning does?

 

[Acerei]

without any intention of having this turn into an online battle
i won in 5th, and 10th grade, egg drop challenge.. maxing out at a 7m drop height in grade 10. (not allowed on roof, threw from class)
the higher the height goes, the more difficulties arise. such as, water.. its a great way to stop an egg, but i have doubts it working from 10m height, due to water being still.. (unless in some way you break the surface, before the egg lands, thus making it a softer transition)
im not saying that using an stretchy skin is dumb, infact, its a great idea, but its also about finding some of it, and implicating it into the project. i liked the balloon shell diagram posted, that looked clever with a high chance to succeed.

how will the aiming happen in this? (just throw and hope it lands into it? or more of a "x marks the spot")