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Ready to Save The Planet?

Egg Drop

DURATION

Less than 30 Minutes

WHERE

From the comfort and safety of your home

WHEN

Throughout the year

WHOSE HELP IS REQUIRED

HOW IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Youth-led initiatives help make changes that are long-term and sustainable. You have the power to make a difference!

DESCRIPTION

Explore & Learn - Be an engineer and design a container to protect an egg from a 6-foot drop!

ITEMS NEEDED

  • Eggs
  • Household craft items and recycled materials - use what you have and be creative!
  • Kitchen scale (optional)
  • Paper
  • Plastic baggie

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS


NEXT STEPS

Students will learn about potential and kinetic energy as they practice engineering design.

WEBSITE


Sound like fun?VIEW INSTRUCTIONS▼ to get started.
Sending or dropping off items to a nonprofit? Don't forget to tell them you found them through PGK! Download and print a packing slip here.

Your Challenge: Design a container to protect an egg from at least a 6-foot drop. 

  1. Go on a scavenger hunt to find craft materials around your home to build a protective egg container. Get creative and use whatever you can find, but ask an adult for permission. Here are some ideas: popcorn, balloons, straws, tape, glue, discarded containers, sponges, or popsicle sticks. You can try anything that you think could protect an egg.
  2. On a piece of paper, sketch a design and identify a place to drop  the egg container.
  3. Record your drop height in the data table below.
  4. Build your design using the materials you found on the scavenger hunt!
  5. Place an egg in a plastic bag and seal it tight. This will minimize a potential mess. Load your design with the egg.
  6. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh your device with the egg. Otherwise, go to step 7.  Input the drop height and weight into the Splat Calculator (in the Watch and Read it! section below) to calculate impact force in joules. 
  7. Drop it! Did it break? If so, go back to step 2.