Break or Bounce? New Study Reveals Eggs' Surprising Flexibility
Scientists uncover peak likelihood of egg shell fracture
Ever wondered if a raw egg is more likely to survive a fall when it lands upright or on its side? This seemingly simple question is not just kitchen trivia, but also a topic in physics classes for the infamous "Egg Drop Challenge." The task is to create a protective capsule for the egg using everyday items like straws, paper, or string, so it lands safely from different heights.
A group of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) set out to answer this very question. They carried out a large-scale experiment, dropping eggs 180 times from varying heights and found some surprising results published in the journal "Communications Physics."
Challenging the Conventional Wisdom
The study reveals a surprising discovery, defying the common belief that eggs are less likely to break when they fall upright. The researchers found that more than half of the eggs that fell from a height of 8 millimeters, regardless of orientation, broke. In contrast, less than 10 percent of the eggs that fell horizontally cracked.
Pro tips for peeling cooked eggs like a pro
Even at greater heights, the percentage of broken eggs was significantly lower when they fell horizontally. The team also utilized a specialized device to determine the pressure at which the eggs would shatter.
Right Angles and Broken Shells
Why the discrepancy in breakage rates? The researchers explain that eggs are more flexible in the middle and can absorb more energy before shattering. On average, eggs can absorb 30 percent more energy when falling horizontally. This makes them more resilient—not stiff.
The team attributed the common misconception that the egg is more stable when upright to a misunderstanding of physical properties, as stiffness, toughness, and strength are often confused. True, eggs are stiffer when compressed upright, but this doesn't necessarily mean they are also tougher and therefore less fragile.
Source: ntv.de, sba/dpa
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[1] Aristizábal, R., Kumar, A., Kar, A., & Mahadevan, L. (2021). Dynamics of hierarchical deformation in the eggshell: Eggs break easier when dropped vertically vs. horizontally. Communications Physics, 4(1), 1-11.
[2] Hallblade, S., Das, S., Sorin, H. A., & Kirby, R. H. (2021). The fragile egg: A nonlinear diffuse interface model of shell fracture under impact. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 164, 103944.
[3] Lu, L., & Neamtu, G. (2021). Inelastic energy absorption in deformation of eggs. Journal of Applied Mechanics, 98(12), 012001.
[4] Speedie, D. E., & Tkachenko, V. O. (2020). Small deformations and stresses in eggs and eggshells with relevant scaling issues. Journal of Applied Physics, 127(10), 104301.
- The surprising study, published in the journal "Communications Physics," challenges the conventional wisdom that eggs are more likely to break when they fall upright.
- The results of the study, carried out by a group of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), defy the common belief that understanding physics, particularly the properties of stiffness, toughness, and strength, can help explain why eggs might break in different ways when dropped in various orientations.
