Egg Drop

• Databot

• IOS/Android Smart Device

• Shock-absorbing materials

• Wights for measuring

• Ruler

Motion and force are essential concepts in physics,
especially when it comes to impacts. When an object
falls, gravity pulls it toward the ground, causing it to
accelerate. The faster it moves, the greater the force it
experiences upon impact. To understand how to protect
an object from breaking, it’s essential to explore
concepts like force, acceleration, and impulse.

Force is what causes an object to accelerate or change
its motion. When an egg hits the ground, it experiences
a large force over a short time, which often leads to it
cracking. By increasing the duration of the impact (the
time it takes for the egg to come to a stop), you can
reduce the force acting on it.

Impulse is the change in momentum of an object, given
by the formula:

Background

What You Will Need/Prep

• Test your databot™ connection.

• You will be prompted to select
  and connect to databot™ each
  time you launch an experiment.

• If there are two or more
  databot™'s listed, the one
  closest to your device will be
  highlighted.

Egg Drop

Overview

Have you ever wondered how to drop a fragile
object, like an egg, without breaking it? In this
activity, you will explore how forces, motion, and
materials interact to protect an object from impact.
Using simple materials and tools, you’ll design and
build a protective device to keep an egg intact during
a drop. You’ll also analyze the physics behind the
experiment by measuring acceleration, examining
the forces at play, and learning how to minimize the
impact.

• Study the background
  information and terms and
  prepare to explore!

Grades: Middle School

Time: 45 Minutes

Subject: Physical Science

Topics: Position, Speed, and
Acceleration

where “F” is the force and “Δt” is the time over which the
force acts. The longer the impact duration, the smaller
the force needs to be to stop the egg. This principle is
used in designing crumple zones in cars and padding in
helmets.

After completing the egg drop experiment, students will be able to:

• Understand the relationship between force, acceleration, and impulse during a fall.

• Explain how increasing the duration of impact reduces the force exerted on an object.

• Measure acceleration and impact forces using databot.

• Apply physical principles to design devices that minimize impact forces.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of their designs and suggest improvements.

• Work effectively in teams to create and test protective devices.

Altimeter: a device that measures altitude, the distance of a point above sea level.

Acceleration: The rate of change of an object's velocity over time, which can increase or
decrease due to forces like gravity and air resistance.

Force: A push or pull acting on an object that can change its motion, speed, or direction.

Gravity: A natural force that pulls objects toward the center of the Earth, causing them to
accelerate downward when dropped. It is constant on Earth (9.8 m/s²).

Impulse: The change in momentum of an object, calculated as the product of force and the
duration of time it acts. A greater impulse means a greater change in velocity.

Impact Force: The force exerted on the egg when it hits the ground. The faster the egg falls,
the greater the force when it impacts.

Energy Absorption: The process of materials absorbing the energy from the fall, often
through compression or deformation, which helps reduce the impact force.

Cushioning Materials: Materials used in the design of the protective device that absorb
energy and reduce the impact force on the egg. Examples include foam, cotton, bubble
wrap, and air-filled cushions.

Time of Impact: The duration of the collision between the egg and the ground. Increasing
the time of impact reduces the force experienced by the egg, making it less likely to break

.

Design Efficiency: A measure of how well the protective device prevents the egg from
breaking, balancing weight, material use, and impact protection.

In this experiment, you’ll apply these principles to design a device that
reduces the impact on the egg. By testing and analyzing your design,
you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the science behind motion, energy,
and materials.

Protecting the egg during a drop involves redistributing or absorbing the
energy of the fall. Materials like foam, cotton, or bubble wrap are excellent
at absorbing energy because they compress, increasing the time of
impact and reducing the force.

Press this button to start the experiment.

• Maximum acceleration, usually
  the moment of impact.

• By default you will be in Pan and zoom mode which allows you to move the data side
  from side to side with your finger or pinch to zoom in or out.

• To see the values at any point of the graph, you first need to press the “Pick data”
  button.

In order to work with the experiment you need to launch the Vizeey application and click on
+ in the upper right corner.

Then select “Add experiment from QR code” and scan the QR code prepared for this
experiment. Your experiment will appear in the list.

Using Vizeey

When you start the experiment active databots show up
in your connection list. Select the one with the strongest
signal (blue). Make sure you databot is turned on.

• databot acceleration graph

• Current acceleration

In this lab you will explore motion using
accelerometer and altimeter (to measure
altitude)

• Click on any point on the chart to see the values.

• databot altitude graph

• Current altitude

Think about how data collected from an accelerometer or databot can be used to
measure the impact force and how this information can help determine the most
effective design for protecting the egg.

Part 1: Initial Observations and Questions

Part 2: Hypothesis

Part 3: Experiment Procedure

Based on your understanding of forces, acceleration, and impact, propose a hypothesis
about how the height from which an egg is dropped affects the likelihood of it surviving.

1. Prepare a solid object in the shape of an egg. This can be a wooden egg or one printed
   using a 3D printer. The shape should closely resemble a real egg to simulate the
   experiment accurately.

2. Set up several different surfaces onto which you will drop the egg. Use both hard

surfaces (such as tile or concrete) and soft surfaces (like foam, fabric, or a cushion)

to observe how different materials affect the egg's behavior when it hits the ground.

3. Drop the egg from various heights—10 cm, 30 cm, 50 cm, and 1 meter. This will help

you understand how the height from which the egg is dropped influences the force of

impact.

h

Different surfaces

Write your observations about how a falling egg behaves on different surfaces

Now, it’s time to experiment.

• Open the Vizeey app on your smart device.

• Turn on databot (using the small button on the left side)

• Tap on "Egg Drop" in Vizeey to load the experiment.

• You will be prompted to connect to databot.

  • Hint- if there is more than one databot in use, the one closest to you will be in blue!

  • A solid blue light on databot means you are connected.

• Start your experiment using:

  • Use these icons at the top of the screen in Vizeey to start and to pause the
    experiment.

  • Before you start collecting data, you need to secure the databot properly. You can
    use shock-absorbing materials such as foam or bubble wrap to absorb the shock
    and protect the device.

Goal: Develop methods to minimize the impact force on the cargo and test their
effectiveness.

• Build a protective structure using
  drinking straws.

• Place the databot securely inside the
  structure.

• Use rubber bands to attach the
  databot to the straw frame, ensuring
  it is fixed in place but still cushioned.

• Run the experiment in the “Vizeey”
  program.

• Lift the straw structure with the
  databot to a height of 30 cm.

• Release the structure and let it fall
  freely.

• After the fall, stop the databot's data
  recording.

• Identify the peak acceleration value
  on the graph — this represents the
  moment of impact.

• Note the time it takes for the
  acceleration to return to zero.

• A longer duration indicates a softer
  impact.

h

Part 4: Data Analysis

105 м/s2

9 м/s2

Depending on the methods of protection and the surface you drop on, you can get
different graphs. The peak of the chart indicates the maximum impact from the fall.

• Modify the straw structure by adding more straws or rubber bands to enhance
  cushioning.

• Repeat the drop test to observe how these changes affect the impact force.

• Compare the data from different trials.

• Determine which design modifications resulted in a softer landing and explain why.

Databot has a mass of 35 grams, so m=35 g=0.035kg. Knowing the weight and
acceleration, you can calculate the force of impact. Use Newton's second law:

F = 105 * 0.035 = 3.675 N

F = 59 * 0.035 = 2.065 N

F = 9 * 0.035 = 0.315 N

Think up and create a device that will minimize the force of impact of databot.

Do your calculations force of impact here

Here are some recommendations

• Foam or sponge – soft materials that absorb impact energy.

• Cardboard box with padding (e.g., paper, fabric, straw) – creates cushioning.

• Inflated balloons – used to slow down the fall or as a soft barrier.

• Bubble wrap – effectively softens impacts.

• Plastic bags filled with air – provide additional cushioning.

• Cotton balls or pads – great for absorbing impact energy.

• Plastic bag filled with water – helps distribute the impact force.

• Elastic bands – can slow down the fall when used in a suspension structure.

• Fabric or old clothes – serve as a soft lining.

• Sand or soil – disperses impact energy effectively.

How could you improve your design to better protect the egg from higher drops?

What design or material worked best to protect the egg? Why do you think it was effective?

Were there any surprises during the experiment? If so, what were they?