Sciencenter Egg Drop
2009 Winners List
Want to know who won? Check out the 2009 Egg Drop Winners List.
Stay Tuned for the 25th Anniversary Egg Drop in 2010!
The Egg Drop encourages scientists of all ages, from pre-schoolers to seniors, to attempt to engineer the most creative, functional, anti-gravitational or impact-resistant flight vehicle for a raw chicken egg. This annual community event allows everyone to test scientific principles in a fun, hands-on way. The Egg Drop is a community event coordinated entirely by volunteers and takes place at Center Ithaca on the Commons.
The Egg Drop is made possible with the generous support of:
Egg Drop Event Schedule: Morning and Afternoon Contests
Morning contest:
- REGISTER from 9 to 10 a.m.
- DROP starts at 11:00 a.m.
Afternoon contest:
- REGISTER from 1 to 2 p.m.
- DROP starts at 3:00 p.m.
BRING YOUR ENTRY WHEN YOU REGISTER!
Award Categories
- Most Earth Friendly
- Best Engineering Design
- Best Freefall
- Best Parachute/slow decent
- Best Unsuccessful Effort - SPLAT!
- Best in Each Age Group
Rules
- Include a raw chicken egg in a "breakproof" container labeled with name, address, grade and phone number.
- Only one entry per person. Group entries are permitted.
- No water or other liquids.
- No helium or other lighter than air gases.
- No glass or other materials that might shatter.
- No rocket powered entries.
- No fire
- No sharp edges
- No umbrellas
- No gliders
- Weight must not exceed one half Kilogram (1.1 pound)
Acceptable Materials for "Earth Friendly" Category
Below is a list of examples of biodegradable materials that are acceptable in the "Earth Friendly" category:
- Newspaper, paper, paper towel, cardboard (not plastic coated)
- Plant materials: pinecones, straw, leaves, flowers, seed pods, sticks, reeds, cork cotton, cotton, silk, wool material (not synthetic)
- Non-messy food items: bread, crackers
- Natural packing materials: cornstarch packing peanuts, wood shavings (no styrofoam peanuts)
Anything that can be placed in a compost pile is acceptable, but it has to be non-messy and odor-free! No styrofoam, bubble wrap or plastic are accepted in this category, even though these materials are "recyclable."
Age Groups
- Family/Group
- Preschool - Grade 1
- Grades 2-3
- Grades 4-5
- Grades 6-11
- Grade 12 - Adult
Egg Drop Science
Teachers, parents and caregivers: download the "Egg Drop Science" PDF for basic facts and suggestions to help you introduce more explicit problem solving into the design process.
