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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Web Sites