Egg Drop Lab Challenge: Achieving Controlled Crushability in 8cm

[emma3001]

I have to do an egg drop lab (be able to drop an egg from 10m without it cracking) what should i use- toothpicks and glue for "controlled crushability". In other words, the egg would break the toothpicks when it lands so it would not crack. This sounds good but the problem is that the parameters of the container are only 8cm x 8cm x 8cm. Any amazing and ingenious ideas?!

 

[Astronuc]

The crushable frame reduces the acceleration and thus force on the egg. The frame also absorbs some energy by deforming.

In addition, if one can employ a parachute to reduce the decent velocity, this would reduce the kinetic energy and the requirement on the deceleration.

 

[pooface]

haha. I did this in high school.

I used a V-shaped styrofoam body to hold the egg, and 4 helium balloons to reduce the velocity.

The twist was that the EGG MUST come out of the device and be on the floor independantly without being cracked. it was either 0% or 100%. I passed it. It worked.

the styrofoam was V-shaped so when it lands it tips over to one side and makes the egg roll out. I had to tape some paper on the sides to slow the egg from rolling out too fast.

We dropped it from the roof of our school.

have fun.

EDIT: oh in my experience with egg drop projects, I don't think a toothpick frame would work too well. test all your prototypes many many many times.

 

[emma3001]

part of the problem is that the egg must be fully contained in a box or whatever-in other words the egg cannot leave a container when it is dropped. I've thought of attaching something like a balloon but it must be within the parameters of 8cmx8xcmx8cm.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Will an egg even fit in anything that's 8cm?