Egg drop challenge
01 // Question
How does the amount of cushioning material around an egg change the height it can survive falling from?
A testable question names one thing you build differently and one thing you measure.
02 // Variables
Independent
Amount of cushioning material- 1 layer of padding
- 3 layers of padding
- 5 layers of padding
Dependent
Maximum survival height- Height in feet at last drop survived
- Pass or fail at each height
03 // Hypothesis
IF more cushioning material is packed around the egg, THEN it will survive a fall from a greater height, BECAUSE more padding stretches out the time it takes the egg to stop, which lowers the force of the impact for the same fall.
04 // Procedure
1. Pick one variable
Choose one design change to test — amount of padding, padding type, or container shape — and hold everything else the same.
2. Build three versions
Build three containers that differ only in that one variable, keeping the egg and outer shell identical.
3. Drop from low height
Drop each container from 3 feet onto a hard, flat surface. Open it and record pass or fail.
4. Raise the height
If the egg survives, raise the drop height by 2–3 feet and drop again, using a fresh egg each time.
5. Record the limit
Keep raising the height until each design fails, and record the last height it survived.
05 // Data table
| Design (padding) | 3 ft | 6 ft | 9 ft | Max height survived |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 layer | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |
| 3 layers | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |
| 5 layers | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |
06 // What to expect
The design with the most cushioning usually survives the greatest height, because extra padding gives the egg more distance and time to slow down instead of stopping all at once against a hard shell.
Past a certain point, adding more padding stops helping much — the egg was already slowing down gently enough, and the extra bulk just makes the container heavier and harder to control on the way down.
07 // Lab notes
- Test over a towel or tray — a failed drop means raw egg on the floor.
- Use a fresh egg for every drop. A cracked egg that looks fine can fail on the next test for the wrong reason.
- Keep the release method identical every time — a dropped hand can add extra downward speed that isn't part of the test.
- Safety. Raw egg can carry Salmonella — wash hands and wipe the surface after cleanup.
08 // Remember
A crash is not about how far something falls. It is about how fast it has to stop.
09 // Questions people ask
Why does more padding help an egg survive a fall?
Padding increases the time and distance over which the egg decelerates. The same fall produces the same impact force spread over a longer stopping time, which lowers the peak force the egg's shell has to absorb — the same idea behind car airbags and bike helmets.
What is the independent variable in an egg drop challenge?
Whatever design feature is being tested on purpose — usually the amount or type of cushioning material. The dependent variable is the outcome measured, typically the maximum height the egg survives without cracking.
Why do egg drop designs get tested at increasing heights instead of one fixed height?
Testing one height only tells you pass or fail at that single point. Raising the height step by step finds the actual limit of a design, which makes it possible to compare two designs even when both pass an easy first test.