STEM Activity: Gravity and Air Resistance – Can You Save the Egg?

Have you ever thrown a feather and a stone at the same time? You may have noticed that the feather falls more slowly. Why is that? It’s because of gravity and air resistance.

In this STEM activity, kids will build simple parachutes and test how different objects fall through the air. They will even try to keep an egg from breaking. This fun experiment helps kids understand how parachutes work and why some objects fall faster than others.

What is Gravity and Air Resistance?

Gravity is the force pulling everything down to the Earth. Gravity acts on everything around us, from tiny raindrops to giant planets, making it one of the most important forces in nature.

It is the force that keeps us on the ground instead of floating away. Air resistance is the force created when air pushes against moving objects.

It slows things down when they fall. For example, a crumpled paper ball falls quickly. A flat sheet of paper falls slowly. That is because the flat paper has air resistance.

STEM Challenge: Egg Parachute Experiment

Materials Required

• 3 eggs 
• Plastic bag, paper, or cloth
• String
• Tape
• Scissors
• Small basket or container
• Balloon
• Chair or staircase for the dropping test

Step-by-Step Procedure

Experiment 1: Drop the Egg Alone

Hold the egg carefully. Drop it from a height. Observe what happens.

Experiment 2: Make an Egg Parachute

Cut a square from a plastic bag or paper. Make holes in the four corners.

Tie strings to each corner. Join the strings together at the bottom. Tape the egg below the parachute. Drop it from a height.

Experiment 3: Balloon Basket Drop

Blow up a balloon. Attach strings to the balloon. Connect the strings to a basket or container.

Place the egg inside the basket. Drop it carefully.   

Observation: What Do You Notice?

• The plain egg falls the fastest because nothing slows it down as it falls.
• The parachute egg falls more slowly because the parachute catches air and creates air resistance.
• The balloon basket may also slow the fall, but usually not as much as a parachute.
• The parachute usually works best because its large surface area catches the most air.
• Kids will observe that objects with larger surfaces fall more slowly because they experience greater air resistance.
• This shows how air resistance affects the speed of falling objects.

Scientific Explanation

Two main forces act on falling objects. Gravity pulls the object downward. Air resistance pushes upward against the falling object. When a parachute opens wide, it increases the surface area. Catches more air. This creates air resistance, slowing the fall. That is why skydivers use parachutes to land. If there were no air resistance, like on the Moon, many objects would fall at the same speed.

Real-Life Applications

• Parachutes are used in real-world situations
• Skydiving
• Spacecraft landing
• Delivering supplies during emergencies
• Protecting fragile objects during drops

Air resistance is also important in:

• Cars
• Airplanes
• Sports
• Rocket science

Why This Activity Is Important for Students

• Understands forces and motion through hands-on learning.
• Learns by exploring and experimenting.
• Improves observation skills by watching and recording results.
• Develops problem-solving abilities through testing and making changes.
• Encourages critical thinking and scientific reasoning.
• Helps kids make predictions and compare outcomes.
• Builds confidence in conducting simple experiments.
• Inspires kids to think like real scientists.
• Encourages creativity by designing and testing different versions.
• Makes science fun, engaging, and easy to understand.

Fun Challenge Ideas

• Try changing the size of the parachute, the material used, the string length, or the drop height.
• Ask: Which parachute works best?
• Does a larger parachute slow the fall more?
• Gravity pulls objects down. Air resistance can slow them down. By building parachutes, kids can explore physics in a super fun and exciting way.
• This STEM activity is easy to do at home or in school. Turns learning science into an adventure.

FAQ

1. Why does the parachute slow the egg?
   The parachute catches more air and creates air resistance. This air resistance slows the egg down and helps it land more gently.
2. Can I use a real egg?
   Yes, you can use a real egg. A boiled egg is usually safer because it is less messy if the parachute does not work perfectly.
3. Which material makes the best parachute?
   Light materials with a large surface area, such as plastic bags or tissue paper, usually make the best parachutes because they catch more air.
4. Why does a feather fall more slowly than a stone?
   A feather experiences more air resistance compared to its weight, so it falls much more slowly than a stone.
5. What science concepts does this activity teach?
   This activity teaches important concepts such as gravity, air resistance, forces, motion, and how engineers design objects to fall safely.