The egg dropped on the floor stops very quickly, which means the force on the egg is large, so it breaks. The egg dropped on the pillow slows down and stops more slowly since the pillow is squishy, therefore the force on the egg is smaller and the egg does not break.
Table of Contents
What is the physics behind the egg drop experiment?
The cup drop illustrates the transfer of potential energy to kinetic energy. The potential energy from the eggs transfers into kinetic energy after an outside force (gravity) acts upon the egg.
How do you drop an egg without breaking it physics?
Is egg drop project physics?
How does Newton’s law affect egg drop?
Newton’s third law states that for every action there is a opposite and equal reaction. Our egg drop project demonstrates this by there being a simultaneous reaction but in the opposite direction, so when you drop the egg and it lands, an upward force will act on it.
What forces are applied in an egg drop?
When dropped, the egg is accelerated by gravity. When the air resistance (the force experienced when placing one’s hand out in a strong wind), which increases with increasing velocity, equals gravity, the egg’s velocity will remain constant. This velocity is known as terminal velocity.
How can an egg survive a 100 foot drop?
- Slow down the descent speed.
- Cushion the egg so that something other than the egg itself absorbs the impact of landing.
- Orient the egg so that it lands on the strongest part of the shell.
What are the best materials for an egg drop?
- Raw egg, or other payload that needs protecting.
- Container, like a cardboard tube, cup, box, etc.
- External protection materials, like balloons, rubber bands, craft sticks, straws, etc.
- Internal padding, like fabric, packing materials, paper, etc.
- Pen or pencil.
- Paper.
- Tape.
- Scissors.
How does momentum affect the egg drop project?
In any collision, the momentum change is equal to the impulse. So if the egg dropped from 5 meters has the greater momentum change, it will also have the greater impulse.
How does Newton’s 1st law apply to egg drop?
Newton’s First Law, once the egg was moving, it didn’t want to stop. The container of water interrupted the egg’s fall, providing a safe place for the egg to stop moving so you could recover it unbroken. The gravity-pushed egg caused the water to splash out. Did someone get wet?
How does gravity affect the egg drop project?
Gravity causes an object to fall to Earth when dropped. Drop an egg from eye level so that it breaks. When the egg hits the ground with a given force, the ground exerts the same force back on the egg. The faster the egg falls, the greater this force is.
Who invented the egg drop experiment?
Mechelle DeYoung came up with one creative solution by inserting a raw egg into a jar of marshmallow cream, cushioning it in cotton balls, and placing it in a padded box.
Why does an egg break on concrete but not grass?
This question can be answered by thinking of the momentum of the egg as it makes contact with the concrete or with the grass. Note that the concrete is hard, and causes the egg to come to a complete stop in a very short amount of time, while the grass can yield considerably and slow down the egg gradually.
What happens if you drop an egg on the ground and on a pillow from the same height?
The egg dropped on the floor stops very quickly, which means the force on the egg is large, so it breaks. The egg dropped on the pillow slows down and stops more slowly since the pillow is squishy, therefore the force on the egg is smaller and the egg does not break.
Why do you think the egg dropped on the grass was not broken?
To do this you must hold the egg pointed end uppermost before dropping it, and make sure you drop it on grass (ie something soft) not concrete. When the egg hits the ground the forces of the impact are distributed around the shell so it does not break.
What is the independent variable in an egg drop experiment?
The independent variable in all of this was the speed of the egg and the impact time of the egg, while the dependent variable was force. The controls are the materials used and the mass of both the container and egg.
What are the two forces acting on the egg as it falls?
A falling object (egg) has a downward force acting on it due to gravity. Air resistance acting on the falling egg results in an upward force, and these 2 forces oppose each other.
How did gravity and air resistance affect the egg drop experiment?
Gravity and Air Resistance Explained A egg dropped without anything to slow it down will fall fast and break, the parachute and balloon add air resistance slowing the fall, and stopping the egg from breaking.
Where is the strongest part of an egg?
The egg is strongest at the top and the bottom (or at the highest point of the arch), which is why it does not break when pressure is added to both ends. The curved form of the shell also distributes pressure evenly all over the shell rather than concentrating it at any one point.
How do you slow down an egg drop?
A pair of nylon stockings is an inexpensive option for suspending your egg. Slide the egg into a short portion of the stocking and keep it in place with rubber bands wrapped around each side. When the nylons are pulled tightly across the inside of a box or container, the egg will be safely suspended as the box falls.
What is the best shock absorber for dropping an egg?
Foam from an old cushion, cotton balls, cotton batting, stuffing, bubble wrap, old rags, toilet paper or paper towels can be used for the first, dense cushioning layer closest to the egg.
How much force does it take to crack an egg?
Usually, it takes a little more than 5 ½ pounds of force to crack an eggshell — much less than the weight of a human being — but the precise amount of force needed depends on the direction in which that force is applied and how much the force is distributed (or not) over the surface of the shell.
How much force does it take to break an egg vertically?
The average load to break the eggs when standing up was 53 Lbs. On their side, an average of 90 Lbs was required. This makes sense because eggs are flatter on their side, which allows more of the platen/foam to contact the shell, helping distribute the force across a larger area.
How heavy is an egg?
The weight of an egg varies between 50 and 70 g depending mainly on the age of the hen and, to a lesser extent, on its genotype.
Is momentum conserved in an egg drop?
The Vehicle increases the amount of time that the force of gravity is acting on the egg. The impulse equals the change in momentum so the only way to reduce it, is to reduce the initial momentum = mv because in the end it will be stop by floor and have zero momentum there. Conservation of momentum equals mv=mv.