Pressure
Pressure is defined as the Force per unit of area. Its unit is actually a which is also called the Pascal. |
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As an egg hits the ground, only a small area of the egg actually comes in contact with the floor at first. This means that the force applied by the floor to stop the egg acts on a small surface area. This results in a huge pressure which typically cracks the egg. |
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Since the egg is a curved surface only the point tangent to the floor touches the ground. This very small area is very similar to looking at the egg falling onto the point of a nail. Either way the force acts on a very small area. The nail also leads to a huge, shell busting pressure. |
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If the egg is placed in a contoured holder, the force on the egg is spread out over a larger area which results in a lower pressure on the egg. If the pressure is small enough, the egg will not break. |
For other concepts directly related to the survival of egg drops, it is recommended that you learn more about terminal velocity and impulse.