In this really cool science experiment we will build a device that will allow a chicken egg to survive the
impact of dropping from various heights. In the process we will make a hypothesis about what we think
will happen to the egg and learn about inertia, motion, and gravity.
Materials For Egg Drop Science Experiment
Method #1 - Cereal Bags
• Five Small Ziplock Plastic Bags.
• One Large Ziplock Plastic Bag
• An Egg
• A Box or Two of Rice Krispie Cereal
We have seen success from various heights using the Rice Krispie cereal bag egg drop method. Using
this technique the Rice Krispies crush easily, absorb energy, and protect your egg from a fatal impact!
1) Put the egg in a small Ziplock bag.
2) Use the cereal to encase the egg in the center of the bag. Stuff that sucker and get a some good
3) Use a sharpie and label the "egg bag".
4) Stuff the other four small Ziplock bags with cereal.
5) Take all five small bags and place them inside the big Ziplock bag.
6) Make sure the "egg bag" is in the center of the other bags of cereal and not on the outside. Double
7) The four small cereal bags should be protecting the "egg bag" in the middle.
8) When comfortable let it fly!
Note: Placing the egg in the "egg bag" and centering that bag in the middle of other cereal bags is
critical to success. This step keeps the egg from accidentally slipping to the outside and taking too
Method #2 - Panty Hose Container/Box
• Nylons / Panty Hose
• Rubber Bands (2)
• Carboard Box
• Stapler and Strong Tape
• The Egg
Many students have reported that utilizing stretchy nylon stockings to protect the egg from impact works
well (if done correctly).
1) Cut off one of the legs on the stockings.
2) Put the egg inside the stocking and move it near the center of leg (knee area).
3) Use the rubber bands to secure the egg snugly in place at the knee area. One rubber band on each
side of the egg. Wrap the bands tightly. This will secure the egg in place and prevent it from moving
about inside the stocking.
4) Stretch the nylon tightly across the box on a diagonal (inside the box from corner to corner). The goal
is to have the egg situated in the center of the box with the nylons as tight as possible.
5) Use the stapler & tape to secure both ends of the nylons in place while continuing to pull it tightly in a
6) You should end up with the egg securely fashioned and centered inside the box. This will protect it
during the egg launch, drop, and impact.
7) Sit back and revel in your engineering skills as you win the contest!!
Method #3 - Styrofoam Cups
• Eight Styrofoam Cups
• An Egg
• Strong Tape
• Small Rock
This method may be for you if your not feeling the love for the egg drop and simply need to appease your
science teacher! Its quick, it's easy, and it's cheap. Styrofoam cups are a sure fire & forget no-brainer for
this event! This method is the simplest of all the egg drop methods on this page.
1) Grab cup number one and put a small rock in it.
2) Stack the next six cups on top of cup number one that holds the rock in it.
3) Insert your egg inside the seventh cup.
4) Put the eighth and final cup on top of the egg cup and make sure it gingerly holds the egg in position.
5) Cut some pieces of your strong tape and secure it down the sides of your cup stack so the cups don't
separate or come apart when falling and upon impact!
6) All cups should now be in one stack with the stack taped into one unit! The rock cup should be on the
bottom and hit the ground first. The egg closest to the top of the stack.
The weight of the rock is heavier than the weight of the egg. The rocks weight will keep the device upright
and prevent it from falling sideways or upside down. Upon impact, the styrofoam cups will compress
and protect the egg! Oh yeah, success.. Time for the victory dance!
The Science Behind Egg Drop Science Experiment
- Newton's First Law (Inertia) - An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an
unbalanced force. An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same
direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Apply this to your egg drop!
- Motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Motion is typically described in
terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time. Motion is observed by attaching a frame of
reference to a body and measuring its change in position relative to another reference frame.
- Velocity is speed in a given direction. Speed describes only how fast an object is moving,
whereas velocity gives both the speed and direction of the object's motion.
- Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. In one dimension, acceleration is the rate
at which something speeds up or slows down.
- Gravity, is a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to
their mass. Gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and
causes them to fall to the ground when dropped. Gravity accelerates objects toward the center of
the Earth at 32.2 ft per second per second.
Reference definitions above: http://en.wikipedia.org
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