How can you prevent an egg from cracking when you drop it from 30 feet in the air? Hillcrest sixth graders used physics and creativity to solve this challenge.
The students recently studied air resistance and physics during their “Newton’s Toy Box” unit. They were instructed to create a parachute that would trap as much air as possible, slowing its descent when dropped from 30 feet. The parachute also needed to safely transport an uncooked egg without cracking.
The students recently took turns participating in the parachute/egg drop contest. Custodian Mr. David Zambrano launched each student’s strategically-designed parachute from near the ceiling of the gym while standing atop an electric scissor lift. The contest winners had parachutes with the longest amount of time in the air and the least amount of damage to the egg. Nice work, Hillcrest sixth graders!
The photos share examples of four of the student-created parachutes.