Vaughan
Physics
Name _____________________
Egg Drop Lab
Purpose: To create a structure from spice drops and toothpicks to surround an
egg so that when the structure and egg are dropped from rest from 2
meters, the egg survives (the structure need not be reusable). Therefore, the
goal is to minimize the force experienced by the egg.
Materials – Each group of 2 will receive one bag of spice drops and one box of
toothpicks
Procedure- You will be given two class periods to brainstorm your ideas, build
design and test.
For homework prior to the lab:
1) Write an initial brainstorming list in bullet point form. List the factors you think
will make the design successful and WHY these design elements will help.
2) Sketch two prototypes. These can be VERY rough sketches of a model you
may end up building with specific design notes to explain.
In class, meet with your partner and share your prototype sketches. As a note, you
will be turning in your prototype drawings/notes. Decide upon which prototype to
build. Before you build, line the desk with newspaper.
Questions/What you need to write as you work
1) Why did your pairing decide on THAT design from all of the prototypes? Did
you take elements from multiple prototypes or just use one idea? Explain
why.
2) A bullet point process list from building the prototype that describes the
process of building. What did you do? Did plans change as you went along?
Were there difficulties?
3) Once the prototype is built, you need to take a picture of your prototype from
a top view and a side view. Please place a piece of white paper as a
backdrop for contrast.
4) You need mass of the structure absent the egg.
5) All designs will be dropped from two meters. Show calculations for:
a) How fast will your design be just moving just before it hits the
ground?
b) What will be the initial momentum of your design in its interaction
with the floor? (i.e. the momentum JUST before it hits the ground)
c) What is the final momentum just after it hits the floor?
d) What impulse did your design experience in its interaction with the
ground?
6) A description of the test. Did your egg break? If so, was it a crack or a splat?
What caused that? What happened to the structure when it landed?
7) How could you improve your design?
8) While still dropping the device and egg from 2 meters, how could you reduce
the impulse experienced by your design in coming to rest?
9) Watch the other tests. What sort of structures survived? Why? What sort of
structures failed? Why? Cite specific examples.
Final question:
How did you use the Impulse/Momentum Theorem to your advantage in your
design? Be sure to state this Theorem, explain why it applies and what particular
design elements used this idea to protect your egg.
EACH PAIR HANDS IN ONE ASSIGNMENT.
The abstract should explain how the impulse momentum theorem applies to this
experiment and discuss the success or lack thereof of your design as the result.
Rather than error, write a statement of how you would improve your design if
allowed.
Extra Credit: The five teams with the lowest mass designs that succeeded will get
extra credit (5 pts, 4pts 3 pts, 2 pts and 1 pt on the last test for lightest on downward)