PUMPKIN DROP

Tuesday, October 29 2002

Purpose: Build a protective casing around a pumpkin that will prevent it from cracking when dropped from a high structure

Specifications:

· Pumpkin must be at least 80 cm in circumference and must be a REAL pumpkin – no artificial pumpkins allowed!!!!!!!!!!!!. Any pumpkin smaller than this will be disqualified from the competition. We need to weigh your pumpkin BEFORE you put it in your contraption and seal it up. Therefore, you must bring your pumpkin to school PRIOR to DROP DAY for us to weigh it. Weightings take place outside of room 504 (the Science Lanai). Bring in your pumpkin any time between now and drop day. Mornings and after school are best.

· Pumpkin can be encased and protected in almost anything that will prevent it from cracking or smashing upon impact. Your only restriction is NO STYROFOAM MAY BE USED IN PACKAGING.

· The cubic volume of the pumpkin container, H x W x D, will be measured for competition purposes. All containers will be assumed to be a “box” no matter their real shape (it’s too hard to measure some of the obscure shapes you can come up with. So, we will assume they are all “box” shape). If you add a parachute, or exterior bumpers (such as water balloons) they will be included in the H x W x D calculations. Even though we add dimensions for water balloons, they are so COOL when they hit the ground – so come on, try some balloons! Be creative, it’s all in fun!

Grading:

100 points Pumpkin is completely intact (and ready for carving)

90 points Pumpkin is cracked (but ready for pie)

85 points Pumpkin is smashed and its seeds are out of its shell (ready for stew)

Prizes will be awarded in three categories:

1. Most creative design (as voted by students). The pumpkin doesn’t have to “survive” impact to win in this category. (25 points extra credit)

2. Largest Mass:Volume ratio that survives impact as a whole pumpkin. In other words, you want to make your contraption really heavy but very small in size (volume). In order to be eligible for this one, you must have your pumpkin pre-weighed before the day of the drop! (25 points extra credit)

3. Person who comes closest to predicting the actual height of the scissors lift by using physics formulas. You must show your work before I will enter you in the contest. (25 points extra credit)

Each person is eligible to win in a MAXIMUM of two of the three categories.

You will be deducted 50% if you fail to clean up your pumpkin mess on drop day. You and your partner are responsible for throwing away all trash associated with your pumpkin.