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Kayla Pintro

Derrick Holder

PLTW Biomedical Engineering

22 November 2019

The Physics of Concussions

Mathematical Component

What are the mathematics concepts required to create a solution to this problem?

 Modeling Geometry – this concept was used throughout our project to design our egg

drop structure and logically make it in a way that would be proportional to the egg.

 Expressions and Equations- this was used to create the dimensions of our box and the

dimensions of the components within the cubic structure.

 Algebra- this is used to determine the height, velocity, energies, momentum, impulse, and

conservation of energy.

List the mathematical formulas will you need for testing your design?

 Vf=Vo + at

 Δx= V0t = ½ at2

 PE=mgh

 KE= ½ mv2

 ME= PE + KE

 MEi = MEf or KEi + PEi = KEf + PEf or ½ mvi2 + mghi = ½ mvf2 + mghf
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Use Kinematics to Determine: Remember you need the height at which the “helmet” was

dropped

Mass- 262.4 g or 0.2624kg

Initial Height= 3.528m

Δx= 0 + ½ (-10) (0.84)2 = -3.528 meters

1. Final velocity of the helmet before hitting the ground

a. Vf= 0 + (-10) (0.84)

V= -8.4 m/s

2. The time it took for the helmet to hit the ground.

a. Time= 0.84s

Using Energy

1. The amount of energy at intervals leading up to the impact.

Time Velocity Height (m) Potential Kinetic Mechanical

(s) (m/s) Energy (J) Energy (J) Energy (J)

0 (0) (-10) = 0 ½ (-10) (0)2 =0 (0.2624) (-10) ½ (0.2624) -9.257 + 0=

3.528+0=3.528 (3.528) = 9.257 (0)2= 0 -9.257

0.28 (0.28) (-10) = ½ (-10) (0.28)2=-0.392 (0.2624) (-10) ½ (0.2624) (- 8.229+1.029=

-2.8 3.528+(-0.392)=3.136 (3.136) = 8.229 2.8)2=1.029 9.257

0.56 (0.56) (-10) = ½ (-10) (0.56)2=-1.568 (0.2624) (-10) ½ (0.2624) (- 5.143+4.114=

-5.6 3.528+(-1.568)=1.96 (1.96) = 5.143 5.6)2=4.114 9.257

0.84 (0.84) (-10) = ½ (-10) (0.84)2=-3.528 (0.2624) (-10) ½ (0.2624) (- 0+9.257= 9.257

-8.4 3.528+(-3.528)=0 (0) = 0 8.4)2=9.257

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2. Use the Conservation of energy to determine velocity prior to impact.

½ (0.2624) (0)2 + (0.2624) (-10) (3.528) = ½ (0.2624) V f2 + (0.2624) (-10) (0) – 9.25747

= 0.1312 Vf2

Vf= √ (-9.25747)/ (.1312)

Vf= 8.4 m/s downwards / -8.4 m/s

Momentum and Impulse

1. Determine the impulse and momentum of the collision between the helmet and the

ground.

Momentum- P=mv P=0.2624 (-8.4) P=-2.20416 kg m/s

Impulse- ΔP= FΔt ΔP=(ma)Δt ΔP= (.2624)(-10)(.84)

ΔP=.2.20416Ns

2. Is this the same impulse as the egg? Explain your reasoning.

a. The impulses are not the same. Due to the fact that the helmet was designed to

reduce the force of impact acting on the egg the impulses have differing values.

The difference in force of impact causes the impulse of the egg to be smaller than

the helmets.

Vector Analysis

1. Create a free body diagram and label the vectors when the helmet:

a. At rest on the ground

Normal Force: the force exerted by the ground

on the helmet (equal to gravity/weight force)
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Gravity Force/Weight Force

b. When in free fall

Air Resistance: less than gravity unless at

terminal velocity

Gravity Force/Weight Force

Science and Engineering Component

1. What are the science concepts required to create a solution to this problem?

 Shock absorption

 Gravity/ free fall

 Newton’s Law of Inertia

2. Diagram, sketch, or schematic of your design at each stage. Prototype, Drop 1, Drop 2,

etc.

 Drop 1
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Popsicle sticks

String

Folded scantron paper

Egg carton cup

T-shirt layer on bottom of box

 Drop 2

Rubber Band
String
Reinforced hot glue

Popsicle sticks

Egg carton cups Folded scantron paper

Folded scantron paper

T-shirt layer on bottom of box
*One on each side of box

 Prototype
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Tape to seal box

Box made out of

scantron paper

Folded pieces of
scantron

3. Generate at least three designs or redesigned that you made.

 We added more folded scantron pieces in an effort to absorb more shock from the

fall

 We reinforced the seal closing the box with a rubber band opposed to the string

used in prototype one

 We added more hot glue to all of the popsicle stick ends to make sure that the

mechanisms in place to secure the egg could do so without moving

 We added folded scantron rolls to each side of the box to absorb more of the

impact from the fall

 We added cotton balls along the top portion of the box to further stabilize the egg

 We added another egg carton cup to sit over the previous one to create a case for

the egg to sit in once it was in the helmet

4. List of materials

 Cardboard

 Scantron paper
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 Popsicle sticks

 T-shirt

 String

 Rubber band

 Egg carton

 Hot glue

 Plastic wrap

5. Explain how your design features worked.

 Our design worked by taking advantage of shock absorbers. The main shock

absorber utilized in our project was the T-shirt that layered the bottom layer of the

cardboard box. The t-shirts helped to stabilize the egg structure but also worked

by absorbing the energy from impact before it could reach the egg. Although the

t-shirt is what absorbed the most amount of shock the folded cylinder like

scantron pieces on the outside, worked to initially begin absorbing shock bracing

the fall of the box. Above the t-shirt and around the sides of the box, we place

small folded pieced of scantron paper to work as extra shock absorbers that could

be added or taken away. The structural components of the design were the box

created out of cardboard and egg stabilize structure in the center of the box. We

created a box out of cardboard to hold every component of our project because it

was one way to limit the movement of the egg. In the center of the box we created

a holder for the egg to further stabilize it using popsicle sticks and a cup portion

from an egg carton. By gluing the cup portion of the egg carton to one end of the

sticks and the other end of the sticks to the sides of the box we were able to create
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a cradle like structure for the egg to sit it. We covered the top of the box in cotton

balls to work as a soft shell for the egg so, that if the egg was to bounce up it

would hit a soft surface and bounce back into its cradle like structure. We used the

plastic wrap to create a window in the top of the box so that the egg could be seen

at all times but would not spill if it broke. The last feature used in the design was

the rubber band to seal the box. Sealing the box ensured the egg would not roll

out and further limited the available movement of any object in the box.

6. Did your design work? Egg cracked, 5g indicator, 15g indicator.

 During the first egg drop, out prototype was successful in protecting the egg from

cracking. Despite protecting the egg from cracking, the egg was concussed. The

15g indicator appeared red after the drop proving that our design had some faults.

In our second prototype, we succeeded in created a device that completely

protected the egg. The 5g indicator showed that when dropped from relatively the

same height, the second prototype was able to not only protect the egg from

cracking but, also to prevent concussion in the egg.

7. Based on your tests, propose refinements to the design and construction of the problem

solution in the space below. Include pictures of your improved design.

 Our design could have been improved by being lighter. The excessive amount of

shock absorbers led to a larger mass, creating a overall high velocity on the way

down. The lighter our object is the longer it will take to fall, which is a good way

to prevent breaks and concussions.

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