Hold an egg at ceiling's height. Drop it. What happens? Can you design a container that will prevent the egg from breaking or cracking? That's not really so hard if you think about what you will use inside the container to cushion the egg's fall.

Let's make it more challenging -- let's use three eggs. And...let's restrict your volume. Really restrict it! Now can you do it?

Objectives

• To design and build a container with maximum volume that will prevent three uncooked eggs from breaking or cracking when dropped from a height of approximately 2.5 m.
• To determine if the container is in freefall from calculations.

The container must be less than 1600 cubic centimeters in volume with no dimension greater than 25 cm. Maximum mass (including eggs) cannot exceed one kilogram.

Students must be able to remove the eggs after the container is dropped without damage. The eggs will be provided. They will be Grade A large eggs. Remember -- you are using three eggs!

Testing Conditions

1. Containers must be constructed prior to the school day of testing.
2. A representative from each student lab group will bring the assembled container containing three eggs to the instructor. All dimensions will be measured to ensure that none exceed the 25 cm maximum. The mass of the container with eggs will be determined.
3. A representative from the student lab group will drop the container (with eggs) from designated height (app. 2.5 m). A plastic tray will be provided to catch the container. Another representative from the lab group will be positioned next to the tray. You do not want the container to bounce after landing!
4. After the drop, the container will be opened. A representative of the student lab group will remove each egg. Each will be examined for cracks or breakage.
5. Student lab groups are responsible for cleaning up and removing all items from the lab area.

Measurements

Each student will use this form to submit their project results.

Grading

1. Performance (group grade)
   • No eggs broken = 50 pts
     • One egg broken = 45 pts
       • Two eggs broken = 40 pts
         • Three eggs broken = 35 pts
       • Exceeding maximum dimension results in a loss of ten points
       • Exceeding maximum volume results in a loss of ten points
       • Exceeding maximum mass results in a loss of ten points
       • Questions (individual grade) - 10 pts each