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You design a container that keeps a raw egg from cracking when it is dropped 20 feet. You can only use 5 materials in your construction, and you must complete your design and construction in 20 minutes. Criteria: Constraints: Impacts:

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Designing a container to protect a raw egg from cracking when dropped from a height of 20 feet requires sound engineering principles and a creative approach to material selection. Below is an outline using your specified criteria and constraints.

Design Overview

Container Design: A cushioned, shock-absorbent containment system.

Criteria

  1. Protection: The container must ensure that the egg remains intact after being dropped.
  2. Material Limit: Only 5 materials can be used in the construction.
  3. Time Constraint: The design and construction must be completed in 20 minutes.

Constraints

  1. Weight: The materials must not exceed a certain weight for ease of handling and dropping.
  2. Size: The container should fit within a specific size limit to ensure portability and feasibility for the drop experiment.
  3. Availability: Materials must be readily accessible and easy to work with in the given time frame.

Impacts

  1. Environmental: Consideration of the materials chosen in terms of sustainability (e.g., biodegradable vs. non-biodegradable).
  2. Cost: The choice of materials should be economical, avoiding excessive expenses for a simple project.
  3. Safety: Ensure that the construction is safe to use and poses no risk of injury while handling the container.

Material Selection

Here are five potential materials that can be utilized for constructing the egg protection container:

  1. Cardboard: Lightweight and easy to shape, it can be used to create a box structure around the egg.
  2. Bubble Wrap: Provides great cushioning and impact resistance, ideal for wrapping around the egg.
  3. Foam Padding: Additional cushioning can protect the egg from shocks.
  4. Tape: To securely hold the structure and materials together.
  5. Plastic Bag: To contain moisture (in case of the egg breaking and to prevent other materials from getting dirty) or for extra padding.

Construction Steps

  1. Create the Base: Use cardboard to form a sturdy base that will hold the egg in place.
  2. Wrap the Egg: Encase the egg in bubble wrap and then place it in the center of the cardboard base.
  3. Add Foam Padding: Place additional foam padding around the egg and bubble wrap for extra protection.
  4. Secure the Container: Use tape to secure the cardboard structure and foam so that everything stays in place during the drop.
  5. Seal: If desired, place the container in a plastic bag for additional moisture protection.

Testing

If time permits, perform a gentle drop test from a shorter height to verify the integrity of the design before executing the final drop from 20 feet.

By selecting the materials carefully and applying effective construction techniques, the egg should remain unharmed from a 20-foot drop, satisfying the criteria, constraints, and impacts of the project.