Question

In a demonstration, a student throws a raw egg at a bed sheet held by two other students, and the egg does not break. The best reason to explain why the egg does not break is that?

1) the sheet is made of soft cotton
2) the student threw the egg at an angle so it struck the sheet at a glancing blow
3) the sheet stops the egg over a large distance, leading to a small force
4) the egg landed on its end, which is harder to break

Answer 1

The raw egg does not break upon hitting the sheet because the large surface of the sheet provides a longer stopping distance, thereby exerting a smaller average force on the egg, making it less likely to break.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the demonstration where a student throws a raw egg at a bed sheet held by two other students and the egg does not break, the best reason to explain why the egg does not break is that the sheet stops the egg over a large distance, leading to a small force exerted on the egg. When an object, including an egg, comes to a stop over a larger distance, the average force exerted on the object is reduced, making it less likely to break upon impact. In contrast, a smaller distance would concentrate the force, increasing the likelihood of the object breaking, much like the glass figure that would break if it hits the tile floor and comes to a stop quickly.