AboutDan Fink Expertise Though my experience is mostly in the fields of electricity, magnetism, and physics, I have a broad science background. My career is in the field of alternative power sources -- solar, wind, water and battery power. But any questions about electricity, magnetism, energy conservation, power generation, electric motors, and even general physics are very welcome--especially from kids. They ask the best questions of all! I pride myself in answering science questions accurately, with ideas for SAFE, easy experiments that kids can perform by themselves--and that let them prove the answers to their own satisfaction. I think science should be fun, and available to everyone, regardless of age.
Experience I have volunteered in our local public schools for 5 years. I currently make presentations at our schools about electricity and magnetism, with a focus on solar, wind, water and other alternative power sources. I try to demonstrate at our schools how easy it is to make electricity, with simple devices using spinning magnets and coils of wire--powered by wind, water, bicycles, gerbils...etc. And of course solar panels! I am the webmaster of Otherpower.com, an alternative energy website. I have lived 10 miles from the nearest power pole for 11 years--I make all my own electricity from scratch with sun, wind and water.
Question hello im a senior at paulding high school in paulding ohio and im currently in physics class and we are going to be doing a egg drop experiment and i have done anything like this before...i was wondering if you could suggest a good way of building one...i can only use toothpicks and elmers glue and it doesn't matter the weight...thanks
Answer Hi Tysha -- I get lots of egg drop questions. Below is the best way to go about the experiment. Since you can't use foam--- you're going to need to accomplish the same thing with toothpicks. The critical thing will be your cradle around the egg. You'll need to completely cover the egg's surface with toothpicks and glue---no gaps! From there, try to make your toothpick structure inside the box provide more shock absorbing capability near the egg, and less near the outside of the box--just like you do with foam (below).
DAN
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The best materials to use for the egg drop are layers of foam in differing densities. The tricks for the egg drop are to 1) distribute the force of impact evenly around the eggshell, and 2) to make the egg in the can *slow down as slowly as possible*. If it slows down too fast, it will break. As you probably already know, you can break an eggshell by hand easily if you use a nail or sharp object, but if you try and crush it between your hands it's difficult to break.
Here's my normal reply to questions about constructing a box for the egg drop:
The best solution (I've tried it and it works) is layers of foam of differing density....stiff, closed-cell foam (like from a backpacker's sleeping pad) right around the egg, and layers of foam around that that are less stiff (open-cell foam, like from a couch cushion), completely filling the can. I got this idea from: http://users.adelphia.net/~jberger5/eggdrop.html
which also has lots more information and advice from physicists on this experiment. Be sure to check out that webpage!
The layers of different-density padding make the egg slow down as slowly as possible, and having the egg completely cradled with no gaps ensures the best distribution of force around it's entire shell.
