Egg-streme Parachuting

Flinn STEM Design Challenge™ 6

Introduction
Parachutes are used in many different ways—the armed forces use parachutes for various jump missions, NASA
uses parachutes to safely land space crafts and adrenaline-seekers use them to jump out of planes! Design and
build a parachute out of everyday materials that will protect an egg from crash landing.
Concepts
• Gravity • Newton’s second law
• Drag • Terminal velocity
Background
A parachute is designed to slow the movement of objects—typically the descent
© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information

of falling objects, such as a skydiver or spacecraft. Parachutes consist of three

main parts. The canopy is the upper portion of the parachute that increases air
resistance. Suspension lines connect the canopy of the parachute to the harness,
which firmly holds the person or object in place. The air resistance created by
the canopy is known as drag, a type of friction acting opposite to the motion of Force of
the object. An example of drag is the force you feel on your hand when you stick drag
it out of a moving car’s window. If your hand is flat with your palm facing down,
your hand does not feel much drag and will glide easily through the air. As you
Force of
rotate your hand upward, air will push your hand back. weight
Parachute canopies were historically made of a silk material—however, they are
now commonly made from nylon. Nylon is a strong, durable fabric that doesn’t
add much weight to the parachute. A canopy that weighs too much can make the Figure 1.
parachute fall too fast. On the other hand, a canopy that isn’t strong enough may tear or collapse. If air pressure
inside the canopy becomes too great, the parachute may begin to sway from side to side as a means of allowing
air to escape. To prevent this, a hole or vent is sometimes present in the center of the canopy to increase stability
and allow the parachute to fall straighter. The size of the canopy is also a large influence on the effectiveness of a
parachute. The surface area of a canopy affects the force of drag during free fall (see Equations 1 and 2).
A* = l • w Equation 1
where: A* = area of a rectangle
l = length of side
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w = width of side
A™ = πr2 Equation 2
where: A™ = area of a circle
r = radius of circle
Newton’s second law states that the overall acceleration of an object depends on the object’s mass and the net
force acting upon the object. In other words, force is equal to mass (kg) times acceleration (m/s2), or F=ma.
There are two main forces acting upon a skydiver (see Figure 1). The downward force is attributed to weight due
to gravity. In this regard, weight is the product of the skydiver system’s mass and the acceleration due to gravity
(a = 9.8 m/s2). Drag is the force acting in the upward direction and is most substantially a result of the canopy.
The net force of a system is the sum of all forces acting upon the object. In this case, the net force is equal to the
force of weight plus the force of drag (see Equation 3).
Fnet = Fweight + Fdrag Equation 3

Experiment Overview
The purpose of this activity is to design and construct a parachute that can carry an egg safely to the ground.
Each group will examine the influence a canopy’s surface area has on the drag produced and overall acceleration
of the egg.

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Egg-streme Parachuting continued

Pre-Lab Questions
1. Describe the forces acting on a parachute in free fall.
2. Two skydivers jump out of a plane. One skydiver keeps his body in a straight line with his toes pointing
downward while the other stretches out to be parallel to the ground. Which of the two feels the most drag?
3. A skydiver with equipment has a total mass of 87.3 kg. At one point during a jump, the skydiver is accelerat-
ing downward at 1.50 m/s2.
a. Determine the net force acting on the skydiver at that point.
b. Determine the force due to drag on the system using Newton’s second law.
4. A skydiver jumps out of a plane from a height of 3800 meters. It takes 6 minutes to reach the ground. What is
the average velocity of the skydiver (in m/s)?

Materials
Balance, electronic String
Meter stick Tape
Paper clips, 2 Timer or stopwatch
Plastic bag, 4″ × 6″ Tissue paper, 3 sheets
Plastic egg Washers, 2
Scissors Water
Safety Precautions
All items in this procedure are considered nonhazardous. If an egg leaks on the floor, clean up the spill immediately to
reduce the risk of a slippery surface. Wear safety glasses. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before leaving
the laboratory. Please follow all laboratory safety guidelines.
Procedure
Part A. Introductory Activity
1. Obtain three sheets of tissue paper and a pair of scissors.
2. Cut one canopy that is 15 cm × 15 cm and one that is 30 cm × 30 cm.
3. Cut four pieces of string for each canopy to act as suspension lines. Strings should be equal in length to one
another and the same length as the longest side of the canopy.
4. Tape a piece of string to each corner of the tissue paper.
5. Flip the paper over so the side with tape is facing the table. Pull each string in order to make them meet
evenly in the center of the paper. Tie the strings together in a loop knot at the end (see Figure 2).
Pull tight
Pull tight
String

Figure 2.
6. Hook two metal washers to a paper clip. Loop the paper clip through the tied end of the suspension lines.
7. Drop both parachutes from the same height. Repeat drops to observe parachute behavior.
8. Record your observations in Table 1 on the Egg-streme Parachuting Worksheet.
9. Construct two new parachutes of varying size, to test. Record observations in Table 1.
© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

52 Flinn STEM Design Challenge Lab Manual

 Egg-streme Parachuting continued

Part B. Design Challenge

 esign and construct a parachute that is able to carry an egg safely to the ground. If the parachute does not
D
travel slowly enough, the egg will crack upon impact. What variables may be changed to slow the egg’s fall?
 se the engineering and design questions from the Egg-streme Parachuting Worksheet to guide your design plan.
U
Write and draw pictures on a separate sheet of paper as needed.
1. Complete steps 1–3 after completing the Introductory Activity.
2. Detail your design plan in step 4 on the worksheet.
3. Build your design. Complete step 5 on the worksheet.
4. Prepare parachute for testing:
a. Fill a plastic egg with water by submerging the two pieces of the egg in the water in the beaker. Note: The
egg may have small holes in each end. Cover the holes inside with tape or clay. Connect the two egg pieces
together while they are submerged and full of water. To obtain a “weak” egg, it may be necessary to connect
the two pieces loosely. It may take practice to determine the minimum tightness the two egg pieces need to
be so that they stay together in the egg basket, but still crack open when the egg hits a rigid surface.
b. Place the water-filled plastic egg into a plastic bag. Dry off the outside of the plastic bag if necessary.
c. Obtain a 25-cm piece of string. Tie loop knots at both ends.
d. Tie the plastic bag closed using a looping knot (see Figure 3).
e. Connect the parachute’s suspension lines to the bag basket containing the egg using a paperclip or in the
manner your team sees fit.
Plastic bag

Bag
String basket

Pull

Figure 3.
5. Record the mass of the parachute system.
6. Test your parachute. Your instructor will determine the drop height for testing.
7. Use a stopwatch to time the duration of the fall. Record drop height and drop time in Table 2.
8. Did your egg survive? Check thoroughly for water leaks. Record results in Table 2. If the egg leaked, clean up
bag basket and refill the egg with water.
8. Make revisions to your design based on the first test. Complete step 6 on the Egg-streme Parachuting Worksheet.
9. Re-test your parachute and record observations.

Disposal
Consult your instructor for appropriate disposal procedures.

© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

Flinn STEM Design Challenge Lab Manual 53

 Name: ____________________________________

Egg-streme Parachuting Worksheet

Reflect
Engineering and Design Questions Define
and
the
1. Define the problem: What is the goal of your parachute design? redesign
problem

Test
Research/
and
generate
evaluate
ideas
2. Research/generate ideas: Using what was found in the
Introductory Activity, name some factors that influence the
speed of a parachute in free fall. What caused the parachute to Build
Select
fall more slowly? design
a solution

Figure 4. Engineering Process

3. Research/generate ideas: Parachute canopies can be made out of many different types of materials.
Brainstorm various everyday materials that can be used in the design of your parachute. What materials do
you believe will work best? Why?

4. Select a solution: Below, detail the design plan for your parachute. Include materials used, estimated measure-
ments, and your reasoning for each design decision. For instance, how will the canopy size chosen benefit
your design? What shape will your canopy be?

5. Build your design: Draw and label a sketch of the final design.

6. Reflect and redesign: What modifications were made to your design for the final test?

© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

54 Flinn STEM Design Challenge Lab Manual

 Egg-streme Parachuting continued

Data Tables
Table 1. Introductory Activity
Variable Alteration Observations
Constructed canopies of two different sizes:
15 cm × 15 cm
30 cm × 30 cm
Canopy size

Table 2. Design Challenge

Mass, Fall distance, Drop Time, Average Velocity,
Trial Egg Observations
kg m s m/s

Table 3. Surface Area vs. Acceleration

Trial Surface Area of Canopy, cm2 Average Acceleration, m/s2 Drag, N

© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

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Egg-streme Parachuting continued

Table 4. Class Data

Group Trial Surface Area of Canopy, cm2 Average Acceleration, m/s2 Drag, N
1
1
2
1
2
2
1
3
2
1
4
2
1
5
2
1
6
2
1
7
2
1
8
2
1
9
2
1
10
2
1
11
2
1
12
2
1
13
2
1
14
2
1
15
2

© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

56 Flinn STEM Design Challenge Lab Manual

 Egg-streme Parachuting continued

Post-Lab Questions
1. Calculate the average velocity of the egg for each trial. Record in Data Table 2.
2. Calculate the surface area of the parachute canopy for each trial using Equation 1 or Equation 2 from the
Background section. Record in Data Table 3.
3. Calculate the average acceleration of the egg for each trial using the equation below. Record in Data Table 3.
a = 2d / t2 Equation 4
where a = acceleration
d = distance, meters
t = time, seconds
4. Calculate the force due to drag on the system for each trial using Newton’s second law. Record the values in
Data Table 3.
5. Add data from Data Table 3 to the Class Data Table 4. When complete, one member will graph the data with
surface area on the y-axis and acceleration on the x-axis. The other will graph surface area on the y-axis and
drag on the x-axis. Clearly label each axis—don’t forget units! Note: Graph the absolute values for acceleration
and drag.

6. Describe the relationship between the surface area of the canopy to both the acceleration of the egg and drag
produced.

7. What variables in the parachute’s design, other than surface area, could have influenced the overall accelera-
tion during free fall?

© 2017, Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced for one-time use with permission from Flinn Scientific, Inc. Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A. No part of this mate-
rial may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Flinn Scientific, Inc.

Flinn STEM Design Challenge Lab Manual 57