Airbags on the Moon
Purpose
Determine how the momentum and impulse changes for an egg falling and then impacting with the ground.
Equipment
eggs
tape
sponge
balloons
paper
scissors
paper towels (for cleanup)
measuring paper
camera
tape
sponge
balloons
paper
scissors
paper towels (for cleanup)
measuring paper
camera
Procedure
1. Students will be divided into engineering design teams of two to three students who will work together to brainstorm ideas, consolidate and organize their ideas, and then choose materials and create a prototype of an lunar airbag system.
2. Teams will test their prototypes by placing a raw egg inside and dropping from the second floor mezzanine of SHS onto the first floor below. A successful design will land the egg intact.
3. Use a digital camera to create a documentary of the process, final product, and results. Results must be reported in terms of impulse and momentum change experienced by the egg.
4. Based on the test results, what changes/modifications could be made to improve the airbag design?
5. Assess your work using the assessment rubric provided below in the "Resources" section.
6. Final products will be uploaded to this website.
2. Teams will test their prototypes by placing a raw egg inside and dropping from the second floor mezzanine of SHS onto the first floor below. A successful design will land the egg intact.
3. Use a digital camera to create a documentary of the process, final product, and results. Results must be reported in terms of impulse and momentum change experienced by the egg.
4. Based on the test results, what changes/modifications could be made to improve the airbag design?
5. Assess your work using the assessment rubric provided below in the "Resources" section.
6. Final products will be uploaded to this website.
Data
There were three prototypes that we used:
sponge= large mass, increased velocity, shorter time until impact
paper= small mass, decreased velocity, longer time until impact
balloon= small mass, decreased velocity, longer time until impact
sponge mass= 110.2 g fall time=.83 sec
paper balls= 130.3 g fall time=1.04 sec
balloons= 91.3 g fall time=1.11 sec
sponge= large mass, increased velocity, shorter time until impact
paper= small mass, decreased velocity, longer time until impact
balloon= small mass, decreased velocity, longer time until impact
sponge mass= 110.2 g fall time=.83 sec
paper balls= 130.3 g fall time=1.04 sec
balloons= 91.3 g fall time=1.11 sec
| brianhayleyamy.pdf |
Data Analysis
Best Possible Solution:
Team members will work together to consolidate and organize their
brainstorming ideas by answering the following questions: (Attached)
• What do we think we know about airbags?
The reduce the impact of a collision.
• What do we still need to learn about airbags?
Are the best airbags the ones who reduce force, or time?
• What do we need to know in order to create a prototype of an airbag?
The variable that we want to seclude
Construct a Prototype:
Each team will choose materials available to create a prototype of an airbag.
SPONGE AIRBAG
PAPER AIRBAG
BALLOON AIRBAG
Communicate the Solution:
1. How successful was your airbag in keeping your egg safe?
For the sponge, the airbag was not successful and the egg broke. The balloons reduced the impact of the egg, and were successful in keeping the egg intact. The paper balls also were successful and reduced the impact of the egg on the floor.
Team members will work together to consolidate and organize their
brainstorming ideas by answering the following questions: (Attached)
• What do we think we know about airbags?
The reduce the impact of a collision.
• What do we still need to learn about airbags?
Are the best airbags the ones who reduce force, or time?
• What do we need to know in order to create a prototype of an airbag?
The variable that we want to seclude
Construct a Prototype:
Each team will choose materials available to create a prototype of an airbag.
SPONGE AIRBAG
PAPER AIRBAG
BALLOON AIRBAG
Communicate the Solution:
1. How successful was your airbag in keeping your egg safe?
For the sponge, the airbag was not successful and the egg broke. The balloons reduced the impact of the egg, and were successful in keeping the egg intact. The paper balls also were successful and reduced the impact of the egg on the floor.
Conclusion
The best way to approach the design of the airbags was to decrease the contact time with the floor. This would decrease the force given by the floor to the egg and therefore allowed the egg to remain intact. The sponge did not work because it was too dense and impacted the floor with the most force, and therefore the impulse was very high. The balloon and paper airbags reduced the contact time with the groud and had the smaller impulse as well.
It seemed since impulse is the change in momentum, that the sponge (with the higher mass) was not successful because it also had the higher momentum change an impulse. So, for airbags, the least possible contact time with and object will be the most successful in keeping the object (egg) intact.
It seemed since impulse is the change in momentum, that the sponge (with the higher mass) was not successful because it also had the higher momentum change an impulse. So, for airbags, the least possible contact time with and object will be the most successful in keeping the object (egg) intact.
