Egg Drop Project Ideas - How to Drop Eggs Without Breaking

So you've been assigned to keep an egg from breaking when dropped from some high place, eh?  Or have you decided to test different methods of protecting an egg, intending to use the data as the basis for an "egg drop project"?  Either way, here are some ideas on keeping an egg from breaking.

Some teachers specify that the raw egg be enclosed in a protective covering and dropped from a rooftop.  Other teachers will make the students thrown them high into the air and hope they land again without damaging the egg.  Either way, probably the ultimate way to protect the egg is to keep it inside the chicken.  While airborne the bird will likely flap its wings and land quite softly.  Oh wait...what's that?  Your teacher says no animal cruelty?  Ok then read on for some real ideas...

The solution you choose may well depend on what your teacher makes a requirement, so we have a few ideas to get you started.  Of course, the best ideas are always your own.  So, look for ways to combine these ideas with your own thoughts for an original egg drop project solution.  That way you can impress your teacher and friends when you truthfully tell them, "I came up with this!"

Without further ado, some ideas.

1)  TRY CEREAL - Many students have reported success using cereal to protect the egg from the impact of hitting the ground.  Rice Krispies brand cereal works great at crushing and absorbing the impact.  You'll need:

• about five sealable pastic bags, small size
• one large sealable plastic bag
• the egg
• Rice Krispies cereal

Place the egg in one bag and surround it with the cereal.  Mark this bag as your "egg bag" with a black marker or something.  Fill the remaining small bags with cereal.  Place all the small bags inside the big bag.  Make sure the "egg bag" is in the middle of the other bags of cereal and not on the outside.  All of the bags should be protecting the "egg bag".

Putting the egg in the "egg bag" and centering that bag in the middle of other cereal bags is very important.  This step keeps the egg from accidentally slipping to the outside and taking too much impact. 

2) TRY PANTY HOSE - Panty hose or nylon stockings are stretchy and work really well if used properly to protect the egg. You'll need:

• one pair of panty hose
• scissors
• two rubber bands
• a box
• stapler
• the egg!

Take the stockings and cut off one of the legs.  Now insert the egg and place it near the center of leg, near the knee area.  Take the rubber bands and place them tightly around the stockings near the egg.  This prevents the egg from moving around in the stocking.  Pull the stocking tightly across the box diagonally so that the egg is positioned in the center of the box.  Staple the two ends of the panty hose while continuing to pull it tightly in a diagonal position. This will secure the egg in position to protect it during the drop. 

 3) TRY STYROFOAM CUPS - Using foam is a no-brainer.  Any sort of foam packing material wrapped around the egg will likely help prevent breaking.  One of the easiest solutions though just involves a stack of cups.  You'll need:

• 8 styrofoam cups
• the egg
• some tape
• a small rock

Take one cup and place a rock in it.  Take six more cups and stack them on top of the cup with the rock in it. Place the egg inside the seventh cup.  Place the eighth cup on top of the egg and make sure it gently holds the egg in position.  Place a few pieces of tape along the sides of the stack so that the cups do not separate while falling.

This method is the simplest one to create of the three ideas listed here.  The rock needs to be heavier than the egg to keep the device from falling sideways or upside down.  Once making impact, the styrofoam cups will compress and protect the egg.

Tell us your ideas in the forums at the egg drop project thread!