How Can I Save an Eggstronaut?
- eggstronaut (uncooked chicken egg - Grade "A" Large)
- Any materials may be used for the eggstronaut capsule as long as it
meets the design and contest specifications.
Place the RISE girls into cooperative groups of three or four. Have the
girls work together to share the responsibilities of recording data and
manipulating materials.
Challenge
The RISE Girls shall design and build an eggstronaut capsule that will prevent
an eggstronaut (uncooked chicken egg - Grade "A" Large) from cracking
when dropped from a height of 15 meters.
Design and Contest Regulations
Container specifications:
- The container must be less than 900 cm in volume, with no side's dimension
being greater than 30 cm. Volume will be calculated based on the shape
of the eggstronaut capsule.
- The maximum weight including the egg, cannot exceed 1200 grams.
- The container must allow access for easy placement and removal of the
egg without breakage.
Other Design and Contest Regulations:
- Placement, removal and replacement of the eggstronaut must take place
within a 30 second time period.
- No kits or re-made designs maybe used.
- The entire eggstronaut capsule must be released completely at the same
time.
In future contests parachutes will NOT be allowed. We found that once one
team included it in their design, it showed up in all the teams' designs,
and this didn't push the girls to think in design terms beyond the parachute
factor.
- No propulsion systems allowed.
- No gases (i.e., helium) other than air can be present in the eggstronaut
capsule when it is weighed.
- The eggstronaut capsule must land in a designated target area.
Judging Regulations:
- The Grade "A" Large eggs will be supplied, you can not bring
your own egg.
- All eggstronaut capsules will be inspected by the judges before they
are dropped.
- Once the eggstronaut capsule is weighed with the eggstronaut inside
the capsule, the eggstronaut can not be removed from the capsule.
- The eggstronaut must be placed inside the capsule just before the test
and before the judges in the 30 second time period.
- If the egg is damaged during placement in the container, the team will
be disqualified.
- The egg must be undamaged after the drop in order for the value to
be recorded.
The score will be based on the equation:
S2= 75S/(W+L2+V)
Where S is the success factor with values:
S= 110 if egg does not break or S=1 if the egg breaks
W=weight (grams); L= Longest dimension, V=Volume in cm
S2=total point value
- The eggstronauts will be dropped from a height of 15 meters. In case
of a tie, two additional drops will be made to determine a winner.
This activity allows for the RISE girls to apply scientific principles
and creativity to solving a problem, while having a good time. Don't let
having a good time overshadow the intended purpose: developing an understanding
for technological designs.
The egg drop activity should only come after the design of the container,
testing of containers, group discussions as to what worked and why, what
didn't work and why, and what they could do differently to improve their
design.
This is also a great time for personal reflection of their experiences
with the scientific method in problem solving.
For further information contact Catherine
Raymond, Deputy Director of Education.
