Science Olympiad Summer Institute Phoenix, AZ July 16 – 20, 20112 Rotor egg drop Science Olympiad Summer Institute Phoenix, AZ July 16 – 20, 20112

DESCRIPTION: Construct a helicopter type device to safely transport a raw chicken egg from a given height to the floor

EVENT PARAMETERS Use wings/blades that rotate around a central axis to slow decent No energy producing mechanisms No pre-made rotor assemblies Cannot be: Airplane Balloon Parachute

PARAMETERS (cont.) Grade A large chicken egg Sealed in plastic bag Placed in cup 8 – 10 oz Foam? Attached to device by tape Egg, bag, cup, and tape provided by event supervisor

PARAMETERS (cont.) Cup is 1st surface to touch the floor Devices where cup does not touch floor first will be ranked below other devices where cup does touch the floor first No other shock absorbing material allowed Devices must fit w/in 51 cm x 51 cm x 51 cm

COMPETITION Impounded before start of event Students may inspect egg No modifications allowed other than to attach egg Students may inspect egg If cracked may request another egg Once accepted if broken before drop students may receive another egg 2 sec. penalty subtracted from final time

COMPETITION (cont.) Time – release time until it hits floor Only one drop Height announced day of tournament 5 meter minimum Time – release time until it hits floor 3 timers – MEDIAN of the 3 times (the middle time is used)

COMPETITION (cont.) After drop student removes egg from device and gives to supervisor All devices with eggs surviving will be ranked ahead of devices with broken eggs even if student breaks the egg after the drop and before giving to supervisor Broken egg defined by wet spot on paper towel

SCORING Highest time wins Devices not meeting construction parameters will be ranked below all devices that do Devices with broken eggs will be ranked below successful devices Tiebreaker Lightest helicopter (w/o egg, bag, cup) No appeals after device leaves impound

Practice To practice without wasting eggs, take a plastic egg and weight with pennies to approximate mass of egg Plan on making lots of different rotor designs. Rotors must rotate at least 360 degrees in its descent or it is not a rotor it is a parachute The higher the drop, the easier it is to get rotor to rotate 360 degrees Angled blades rotate better than flat blades

Web Sites http://fc.niskyschools.org/~psherman/03978F9B-011EDE4C.25/HelicopterEggDropNotes.pdf http://www.instructables.com/id/Amazing--Graceful-Egg-Drop-Contraption/