November 25, 2020

TOPIC: STRETCHING MATERIALS

Objectives:

By the end of this topic, you will be able to;

1. Describe experiments to determine extension-force graphs
for springs and elastic bands,
2. State Hooke’s law,
3. Identify regions on graphs of extension against force where
Hooke’s law does not apply,
4. Use springs and graphs to find unknown weights of objects
The attractive forces between the molecules in a solid provide its
characteristic elastic or stretchy properties. When we stretch a
solid we are very slightly increasing the spacing of its molecules.
The tension we can feel in a stretched spring is due to all the forces
of attraction between the molecules in the spring.

Stretching a spiral spring

● Arrange a stand to hold a millimeter ruler (scale) close to a hanging spiral

spring.
● Attach a pointer to the end of the spring and take a scale reading of the
pointer for an unstretched, unloaded spring.
● Hang a slotted mass hanger on the end of the spring and take a series of
scale readings as slotted masses are added to the hanger, increasing the
stretching force or load.
● Record your readings in a table.

Diagram showing slotted mass hanger

along with slotted masses
Mass on Stretching Scale reading Extension of force/
hanger, force in N /mm spring /mm extension
m/kg (mxg)

● Calculate the stretching force using F = mg, where g = 10N/kg

● Calculate the increase in length or extension of the spring by
subtracting the initial length or scale reading for the unloaded spring
from all the loaded readings.
● Calculate for all the readings the value of the ratio:
stretching force / extension
● Plot a graph of extension against stretching force
The graph of extension against the stretching force is a straight line which shows
that the extension of a spiral spring is directly proportional to the stretching force.
In other words, if the force is doubled, the extension is doubled and so on.

EXTENSION ∝ STRETCHING FORCE

Graph of extension against stretching force for a spring

The same kind of result is obtained if a straight steel wire is stretched. But what
happens if we go on stretching a spring or wire further and further? After a point
called the elastic limit some of the stretching becomes permanent and the
spring or wire will never go back to its original length.
The elastic limit and Hooke’s law
Hooke’s law:
Provided the stretching force does not extend the spring beyond its

elastic limit, the extension of the spring is directly proportional to the

stretching force.
The Spring Constant
● The value of the spring constant tells us how strong a spring is.

● The ratio: force/ extension = spring constant in N/m

● The spring constant will be constant only up to the elastic limit. The

force can be a compression force or a stretching force.

QUESTION 1:
A car has a mass of 1.2 tonnes. The suspension springs of the car

together have a spring constant of 2.0 x 105 N/m. How far does the weight

of the car compress its springs?

Force = mass of car x gravity

= (1.2 x 103 ) x 10 N/kg

= 1.2 x 104 N = 12,000 N

Spring constant = force ÷ extension

By rearranging the formula,

 extension = force ÷ spring constant

= 1.2 x 104N ÷ 2.0 x 105 N/m

= 0.06 m or 6 cm

QUESTION 2:
A mass of 500g is hung from the end of a spring of elastic constant
2.5 x 102 N/m. Calculate the extension you would expect if the elastic limit
is not exceeded and the event happens:
a. On the Earth (g = 9.8N/kg) Answer =19.6mm
b. On the moon (g = 1.7 N/kg)

Use the equation “extension = force ÷ spring constant”,

PART A: EXTENSION ON EARTH

Mass = 500g = 0.5 kg
Force (weight) = mass x gravity
= 0.5kg x 9.8 N/kg
= 4.9N
Spring constant = 2.5 x 102 N/m

Extension = force/ spring constant

Extension = 4.9 N / 250 N/m
Extension = 0.0196m = 19.6mm
PART B: EXTENSION ON MOON
Mass = 500g = 0.5 kg
Force (weight) = mass x gravity
= 0.5kg x 1.7 N/kg
= 0.85N
Spring constant = 2.5 x 102 N/m
Extension = force/ 2.5 x 102 N/m

Extension = 0.85N / 250 N/m

= 0.0034m = 3.4mm
QUESTION 3:
When a load of 12N is applied to a steel spring it produces an extension of
80mm without exceeding the elastic limit of the spring. Calculate
a. the spring constant of the steel spring in N/m.
b. the weight of an object which, when hung from the same spring,
produces an extension of 60mm.

a. Spring constant = Force/ extension

F = 12N

Extension = 80mm = 0.08m

Spring constant = 12N / 0.08m

= 150 N/m

b. Force or weight of object = extension x spring constant

= 0.06m x 150N/m

= 9.0 N
QUESTION 4:
The figure below shows how the length of a spring changes when loaded.

Use the information given in the diagram to calculate:

a. The extension produced by the 20N load (10cm)
b. The extension produced by load W (20cm)
c. The load that produces an extension of 1cm (2N)
d. The load W (40 N)

e. The length of the spring when a load of 12N is attached to it. (21 cm)
Part a.
The extension produced by the 20N load (10cm)
What do we know?
● Unstretched length of spring = 15cm
● Stretched length of spring (@20N) = 25cm
Extension produced by 20N load = stretched length (@20N) - unstretched length
= 25cm - 15cm
= 10cm
Part b.
The extension produced by load W (20cm)
Extension produced by load W = length@W - unstretched length
= 35cm - 15cm
= 20cm

Part c.
Spring constant = force / extension
= 20N / 10cm = 2N/cm

Part d.

Force = spring constant x extension

= 2N/cm x 20cm
= 40N
Part e.
Extension of spring@ (F=12N) = Force / spring constant
= 12N / 2Ncm-1
= 6cm
Length of spring = original length + extension@ 12N
= 15cm + 6cm
= 21cm

QUESTION 5:
The following results were obtained by a student when a spiral spring was
stretched within its elastic limit.

Load/ N 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0

Length/ mm 9.4 10.3 11.2 12.1 13.6 14.0 14.9 15.9

a. Plot a graph of length against load. (You can start the scale on the
length axis from a value of 8.0mm).
b. Which point on the graph looks as if an error might have been made
by the student? You should ignore this point when drawing your best
fit line.
c. Find the gradient or slope of the graph, S.
d. Determine the spring constant. (The spring constant is the reciprocal
of the slope, i.e. 1/S).
e. Use your graph to find the length of the spring when there is no load
on the spring.
f. Find the length of the spring when the load is 7.0 N.
g. Calculate the extension of the spring for the same load.
h. What load would produce an extension of 4.0mm?
i. How would the student know that in his experiment he would not
have taken the spring past its elastic limit? What additional readings
could he take to confirm this?