Base your answers to questions on the information below and on your knowledge of science.
Protecting a Fragile Package
A fifth-grade class was asked to design a package that protects a raw egg when it is dropped. Each design was dropped three times from a height of 3 meters onto the same concrete surface, using a new egg of the same size each time.
Criteria (what a successful design must do): protect the egg in all three drops, AND have a total mass of 150 grams or less.
Constraints (limits the team must work within): cost no more than $3.00, AND be built in 30 minutes using only classroom materials.
The second table shows add-on features teams can use to improve a design. The mass and cost of each add-on are added to the design’s mass and cost.
| Design | Mass (g) | Cost | Drop 1 | Drop 2 | Drop 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: Straw cage | 95 | $1.20 | Safe | Safe | Cracked |
| B: Bubble-wrap box | 140 | $2.80 | Safe | Safe | Safe |
| C: Parachute + cup | 60 | $0.90 | Safe | Cracked | Cracked |
| D: Foam-filled box | 180 | $2.50 | Safe | Safe | Safe |
| Add-On | Added Mass (g) | Added Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bubble-wrap lining | 30 | $0.80 |
| Foam filling | 110 | $1.60 |
| Paper parachute | 15 | $0.50 |