Egg Drop Challenge: Pack it Right or Die Trying

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SUMMARY

The Egg Drop Challenge requires participants to design a protective container for a raw egg that must survive a drop from gym rafters without breaking. Key strategies include maximizing force distribution, increasing descent time, and enhancing buoyancy. Successful designs mentioned include a cone-shaped catcher made from paper and a box-in-a-box method lined with crumpled newspapers. Participants are limited to two types of packing materials and must avoid using parachutes or fully covering the egg.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, particularly force distribution and impact absorption
  • Familiarity with materials that can provide shock absorption, such as crumpled paper or cotton balls
  • Knowledge of design concepts for creating protective structures
  • Ability to follow specific project guidelines and constraints
NEXT STEPS
  • Research techniques for maximizing impact resistance in fragile objects
  • Explore various packing materials and their shock-absorbing properties
  • Learn about the physics of free fall and how to minimize descent speed
  • Investigate successful egg drop designs through articles and case studies
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for students participating in science projects, educators looking for creative teaching methods, and anyone interested in engineering challenges involving impact protection.

Ghettobabe
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egg drop tomarrow and no idea what to do i need help really bad
rules- max. two different type packing materials
3 materials in all
egg must survive drop from gym rafters
if it brakes i get 0
egg will be raw
no parachutes
egg cannot be fully covered

PLZ help, need ideas QUICK
 
Last edited:
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Ghettobabe said:
egg drop tomarrow and no idea what to do i need help really bad
rules- max. two different type packing materials
3 materials in all
egg must survive drop from gym rafters
if it brakes i get 0
egg will be raw
no parachutes
egg cannot be fully covered

PLZ help, need ideas QUICK
There are a few things you can think about: 1. Maximizing the force that the egg can withstand before breaking by distributing that force over as much of the surface of the egg as possible, and 2. increasing the time that the egg takes to come to a stop. 3. minimizing the speed of descent by making the egg as buoyant as possible - try making it fall like a feather.

AM
 
also what materials can you use?
 
Make an egg catcher out of paper:
a friend made one that was a cone. It kept the egg intact after a 30 feet drop! (and the egg had no parachute or anything.)
 
use cotton balls
 
I had a similar project and had to drop an egg 70+ feet.

We used a box in a box design (inside another box) with great success.

Crumple up newspapers to line the outer box, which protects the inner box. Also, crumple up newspapers in the inner box, which protects the egg.

I read the following article, which is funny and insightful...

http://www.infobarrel.com/Egg_Drop_Designs_for_a_Science_Project

You also may want to read this article as a reference...

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Drop-An-Egg-Without-Breaking-It

Hope the info is helpful...

-John
 
I need an egg drop design:

1. shock absorbing material must be in container; no balloons or bubble wrap.
2. no parachute
3. Food may be used...but not the only shock absorbing material;
4. can be as tall as i want. but no wider than 50 cm
 
AfricaFreak67, firstly I recommend you start your own thread.

Secondly, we cannot just give you answers, you must show your own approach and methods for solving the problem and we will guide you.

Jared
 
How do i start my own thread?
 
  • #10
  • #11
:eek:Thank You. I now know what to do and I think I can have a new thread made for tomorrow:wink:
 

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