Egg drop project suggestions needed!

[Ariel Wanna-be]

DS is doing Cub Scout camp this week, and one of their projects is the "egg drop".

Basically, it involves contructing a container that will protect a raw egg that is dropped out of a hot air balloon.

The rules are few and simple:

1) The container can be no larger than 6x6x6.
2) No jello can be used.
3) Nothing can be fused to the egg.

DS wants to use popcorn as a filler to protect the egg, which I think will be fine, but what to use as the container itself? Should we look for a lightweight box, or use something like an aluminum can? I'm certainly no physics expert, so ANY suggestions are appreciated!

TIA!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

My kids had to do this for science class.

I'm assuming it's inches and not feet for the container?

My kids used a cardboard box duct-taped closed.

Inside they used as much bubble-wrap that would fit around the egg.

Worked every time.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

DS just did this project . . .many eggs broke from a 3rd floor window fall . . .but the eggs that survived were in a peanut butter jar with half the peanut butter scooped out and then replaced to keep the egg safe . . .

 

[stauncie]

Each of my 3 kids had to do this. It was pretty interesting to see all the different ideas the kids (and some of their parents) came up with. The most unusuall was the bowling ball (cut open) Unfortunately, the egg broke, tho.

Our idea worked the first time, so each subsequent child used it, and it worked all three times.

We used the bottom portion of 2 2 liter plastic bottles. Wrapped the raw egg in carpet padding, taped it closed. We put small cubes of padding in the 'bottom' of each bottle, and then 'plugged' that with a circle of padding cut to the exact size of the bottle, so the cubes wouldn't fall out, and then lined the inside of one of the 2 liter bottles with a double layer of carpet padding put the padded egg in place. We then wedged one bottle over the other to make a lid, and voila.

Oh, ours always bounced the highest, too!

 

[Green Tea]

A cardboard box filled with small balloons worked for me!

 

[Talking Hands]

Nerf football worked for my daughter. Scooped out the inside enough to put the egg in and then packed it back around the egg. Egg intact from 5 story fall!

 

[Lars624]

My son attached a parachute to his container to slow it down as it fell.....I'm not sure it that would be allowed in the 6 x 6 x 6 dimensions though

 

[simba928]

We did this in science in 8th grade from the top of the stadium. We were actually just talking about it the other day.

One kid used a watermelon, and it worked. I guess he scooped out some of the inside to create a hole, inserted the egg, and refilled the hole.

Somebody in our class did the peanut butter thing and it worked.

I don't remember what my friend said she did, but she said it worked. I'll find out and post it after I talk to her.

 

[Junebug625]

DS used the Nerf Football and it worked.

 

[mamacatnv]

We did this - one of the tricks is to suspend the egg in the center of a container so that it has nothing to hit.

We took 2 styrofoam bowls, a knee high stocking, bubble wrap and some packing tape.

Put the egg into the stocking, twisted the ends and stretched across the opening of the bowl. Added some bubble wrap for good measure then taped the container closed, wrapped with bubble wrap and sealed with packing tape - went off the top of a 4 story building and stayed intact.

 

[Quasi123]

My kids had to do this for science class.

I'm assuming it's inches and not feet for the container?

My kids used a cardboard box duct-taped closed.

Inside they used as much bubble-wrap that would fit around the egg.

Worked every time.

We did the same thing. It really does work.