Name of Assignment: Egg Drop/ Newton's Cradle Subject: Applied Physics Facilitator/Teacher: Hannah Hayes
Description of Work/Assignment:
In physics we are currently diving deep into the three Newton's laws. To help understand what they mean, we were given an egg drop and a Newton's cradle to research, design, build and write instructions on how to make them. We were all given the option to work individually or as a pair. I had a partner and we both collaborated with the design and materials of both labs.
Which 21st Century Skill do you feel this assignment addresses, and why?
Due to having a partner, the communication skill was used a lot. I had to work with my partner and share ideas. We both had our own ideas and had to come up with what was the best design of both labs. My partner had the idea to use a straw design for the egg drop that supposedly withstands a drop from a skyscraper. My partner had to explain to me why this would work better than what I had in mind.
What are you most proud of from this assignment, and why?
I am proud of the entire project. The cradle worked well enough, but most importantly it did work. That was the entire goal was to make sure it worked. Also, the egg drop protected the egg from a three story building (KCS building).
What was most difficult about completing this task?
The most difficult part was getting the materials together to build both of the labs. Although, the most rigorous part of the project was to make the directions to make each of the lab designs. My partner and I had to make the directions clear and also correct. We made sure if someone were to build it using the directions, the outcome would look like what we made.
How could you improve this work?
I could improve this work by getting better materials. We used all materials that were recycled and didn’t have to buy anything. We could have built it out of nice materials, but we would've had to buy majority of the materials. Instead of using a cardboard box, we could have used popsicle sticks. The straws for the egg drop were the biodegradable plastic straws, which resulted in cracking of the straws.
If you could start over, what would you do differently?
If I could start over I would use the different materials to make the project better. I would get better straws or even use a different material like wood skewers. For the cradle I would use a different glue from the yard to the marble, maybe a stronger crafting glue. I would also use a smaller box to keep it with reused materials.