Saturday, February 23, 2008 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, NC

 click here for FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.      The object of the competition is to design a device that will protect a fresh, raw large grade-A egg from breaking when it is dropped from a height of 21.5 feet. Entrants will compete to design a device with the lightest weight, the fewest number of parts, and the most accurate landing on the Drop Zone target (see equation at the end of the rules.)

2.      All scores will be determined using the Egg Drop Competition Official Rules equations.  The goal of the egg drop competition is to obtain the lowest non-zero score.  Any egg drop that results in the egg breaking receives a score of zero.  All devices will be dropped from the same height.  In the event of a tie in any of the categories or competition rounds, the tying entrants will continue to have their devices dropped until one device achieves a clearly winning score.

3.      The first, second and third place winners from each category, as calculated by using the equation, will compete in a final round of competition for the Grand Prize.

4.      Anyone with an imagination is eligible to enter this competition. There is no entry fee; however, pre-registration is required.  To pre-register for the competition, enter on-line at www.wsfceggdrop.com. Your entry form must be received on or before February 16^th, 2008 in order to be registered to compete.  Only one entry per participant is permitted, and each device can only be entered in one category.

5.      Large raw grade-A eggs will be provided on the day of the competition to each contestant, and are the only eggs allowed for use.  Contestants shall provide all other materials.

6.      After the drop, the judge will remove the device from the target and the contestant, or their designee, will remove the egg from the device for inspection by the judge.  No repairs will be allowed between drops.

7.      The entire device will be released at the drop plane (even with the top of the railing).  It cannot contact anything on the ground, a person, or a structure (for example, a long slide may not be used to transport the egg from the balcony to the ground.)

8.      Participants must drop their own devices.  If they are unable to reach over the railing, they must be present at the drop but may appoint someone else to drop the device for them.

9.      After check-in, each device entered will be weighed with the egg provided to each contestant. The lowest weight for a device will be zero (no negative values will be allowed.)  No changes or modifications to the device will be allowed once it has been weighed with the egg.  Once the device has successfully landed without breaking or cracking the egg, the egg will be removed and weighed; its weight will be subtracted to determine the weight of the device only, which will be used in the formula.  Maximum device weight is 1000 grams (2.2 pounds).

10.  For the Grand Prize competition, the number of parts used for each device will be counted. Each individual piece will count as one part. For example, if the egg is cradled in 100 Styrofoam peanuts glued together the device will have 101 parts (100 parts peanuts and 1 part glue.)  Gasses, other than air, will be considered one part.

11.  The Drop Zone will be a target comprised of concentric rings. Landing the egg entirely within the innermost one-foot diameter ring will be one point, within the second ring will be two points, and so on.  Landing outside all of the rings will be twelve points. The device will receive points based on the outermost ring in which the egg lands.

12.  Scores will be calculated using the following formula. If the egg cracks, your score is zero. The lowest non-zero score wins:

For the initial round, the formula is:

For the grand prize round, the number of parts used in the construction of the device becomes a factor and the formula is:

Where:

W = Weight of the device in grams

N = Number of parts

DZ = Drop Zone Target points

EIF = Egg Integrity Factor (1 if not cracked or 0 if cracked) 

13.  The cash value of the prizes, awarded the day of the competition in each category, shall be:

14.  You must be present at the end of the competition to win.

15.  A panel of judges will determine if each entrant follows all competition rules, and their decisions are final.

16.  Official rules are subject to change until the day of the competition.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
 

Q: Do multiple uses of glue count only count as one part?

A:  Glue can be used and counts as one part.  Other adhesives can be used, but each different type of compound counts as a separate item or part.

Q: What about multiple uses of string? For example, if we use (8) 4" pieces of string is that 8 separate parts? If so, then I'm assuming that if we do not cut the string but keep it as one continuous string serving to secure multiple sections then it only counts as one part.

A:  8 pieces of string would count as 8 different parts.  One long continuous piece of string (or tape, or other item) would count as one part, but may add additional unneeded weight to the device; the choice is left to the entrant.

Q:  For decorating the device, does the ink count as a part?

A:  Coloring would not count as a part, but may affect the weight of the device.  Decals or other additional identifying insignia (ribbons, flags, etc.) will count as additional pieces as they can affect rigidity and accuracy.

Q: How is the weight of devices using lighter-than-air gasses (i.e. helium balloons) measured?

A:  The weight of the helium, the balloons and attaching string or straps is negated by the uplift of the helium; however, those items do have mass.  Any device using helium shall be weighed and the volume (length x width x depth) of the balloons shall be measured.  For every liter (61 in³) of balloon volume we shall add 0.18 grams for the weight of the helium and 1.07 grams for the offsetting uplift (a liter of air weighs 1.25 grams) to the weight measured by the scale to determine the total device weight.

Q: Is there a maximum weight of the device?

A:  Yes.  The weight of the device, without the egg, cannot exceed 1000 grams (2.2 pounds).