Question

think about a potential egg drop project. which material would you choose to best protect the egg in the collision and why?
a metal box because it is very rigid (stiff) and wont bend.
bubble wrap because it will spread out the force from the collision.
a piece of cardboard because it is flexible and its used for holding other objects.
cotton balls because theyre fluffy and can be torn apart.
during an egg drop experiment, an egg could be wrapped in layers of protective material but still break. what is the best explanation for why this happens?
the peak forces in the collision were greater than the breaking point of the egg.
the peak forces in the collision were less than the breaking point of the egg.
the elastic limit of the egg was high.
the egg is just weak.

Explanation:

For the first question, bubble wrap spreads out the force during collision (impulse - force relationship: \(F = \frac{\Delta p}{\Delta t}\), increasing \(\Delta t\) reduces \(F\)). For the second question, if peak force (\(F\)) exceeds the egg's breaking point (maximum force it can withstand), it breaks.

Answer:

1. B. Bubble wrap because it will spread out the force from the collision.
2. The peak forces in the collision were greater than the breaking point of the egg.