Mechanical Properties of Solids

Deforming force : A force which changes the size or

shape of a body is called a deforming force.
Elasticity. If a body regains its original size and shape
after the removal of deforming force , it is said to be
elastic body and this property is called elasticity.
Perfectly elastic body. If a body regains its original size
and shape completely and immediately after the
removal of deforming force , it is said to be
perfectly elastic body.
Plasticity. If a body does not regain its original
size and shape even after the removal of
deforming force it is said to be plastic body and
this property is called plasticity.
Stress . The internal restoring force set up per
unit area of cross-section of the deformed
body is called stress. The restoring force is
equal and opposite to the external deforming
force.
Stress = Applied Force/Area = F/A
SI unit N/m2 CGS Unit dyne/cm2
Dimensional Formula [ML-1T-2]
Types of stress
1.Tensile Stress. It is the restoring force set up per
unit cross-sectional area of a body when the
length of the body increases in the direction of
deforming force. It is also known as longitudinal
stress.
2. Compressional stress. It is the restoring force
set up per unit cross-sectional area of a body
when its length decreases under a deforming
force.
3. Hydrostatic stress. If a body is subjected to a
uniform force from all sides , then the
corresponding stress is called hydrostatic
stress.
4. Tangential stress or shearing stress.
When a deforming force acts tangentially to the
surface of a body, it produces a change in the
shape of the body. The tangential force
applied per unit area is equal to the tangential
stress.
Strain: The ratio of the change in any dimension
produced in the body to the original
dimension is called strain.
Strain = Change in dimension/ Original
dimension
Since it is the ratio of two like quantities, it has
no units and dimensions.
Strain is of three types.
1. Longitudinal strain. It is defined as the ratio of change
in length to the original length.
Longitudinal strain = ∆l/l
2. Volumetric strain =Change in Volume/original volume
= ∆V/V
3. Shear Strain . It is defined as the angle ϴ (in radians),
through which a face originally perpendicular to the
fixed face gets turned on applying tangential
deforming force
Shear strain =ϴ= tanϴ= ∆l/l
Elastic limit. The maximum stress within which
the body regains its original size and shape
after the removal of deforming force is called
elastic limit.
Hooke’s Law
It states that within the elastic limit, the stress is
directly proportional to strain
Stress/strain = Constant
The constant of proportionality is called
modulus of elasticity or coefficient of elasticity
of the material. Its value depends on the
nature of the material of the body and the
manner in which it is deformed.
Modulus of elasticity , E = Stress/strain
SI unit N/m2
Dimensional Formula [ML-1T-2]
Different types of elasticity
(i) Young’s modulus (Y) –the modulus of
elasticity of length
(ii) Bulk modulus (K) – the modulus of elasticity
of volume
(iii) Modulus of rigidity or shear modulus (ƞ) –
modulus of elasticity of shape.
Young’s modulus of elasticity (Y)
Within the elastic limit, the ratio of longitudinal
stress to the longitudinal strain is called
Young’s modulus of the material of the wire.
Y = (F/A)/ (∆l/l)
Y = F.l/A.∆l
If the wire has a circular cross-section of radius
r , then Area = πr2
Bulk modulus of elasticity.
K = Normal stress/Volumetric strain
= -(F/A)/ (∆V/V) = -PV/∆V
Where P is the normal pressure
Negative sign shows that the volume decreases
with the increase in stress.
SI unit N/m2 Dimensional formula [ML-1T-2]
Compressibility . The reciprocal of the bulk
modulus of a material is called its
compressibility
Compressibility = 1/K
SI unit N-1m2
Dimensional formula [M-1LT2]
Modulus of rigidity or shear modulus
ƞ=Tangential stress/Shear strain
=(F/A)/ϴ = F/Aϴ = Fl/A∆l
Stress- Strain
Important features of the graph
(i) The initial part OA of the graph is a straight line
indicating that stress is proportional to strain. Up to
the point A Hooke’s law is obeyed. The point A is
called the proportional limit. In this region the wire
is perfectly elastic.
(ii) After the point A , the stress is not proportional to
strain. A curved portion AB is obtained. But if the
load is removed at any point between O and B the
wire attains its original length.
The portion OB of the graph is called elastic region. The
point B is called elastic limit or yield point. The
corresponding stress is called yield strength.
(iii) Beyond the point B the strain increases more rapidly
than stress. If the force is removed at any point C, the
wire does not come back to its original length. It traces
the dotted line CE. Even on reducing the stress to zero , a
residual strain equals OE is left in the wire. The material is
said to have acquired a permanent set. The stress-strain
curve is not retraced. The strain is called elastic hysteresis.
• (iv) Further increase in force beyond C produces a
large increase in strain or length of the wire. In the
region B and D the length of the wire goes on
increasing even without addition of force. D is called
fracture point. The region BD is called plastic region.
The material is said to have plastic deformation.
• If large deformation takes place between the elastic
limit and the fracture point , the material is called
ductile. If it breaks soon after the elastic limit is
crossed, it is called brittle.
Elastic Potential Energy:
When a wire is stretched, the inter atomic forces
oppose the change. Work has to done against these
restoring forces. The work done in stretching the
wire is stored in it as its elastic potential energy.
Expression for elastic Potential Energy.
Let a force F applied on a wire of length l increases its
length by ∆l. Initially, the internal restoring force in
the wire is zero.
When the length is increased by ∆l, the internal
force increases from zero to F(= applied force)
Average internal force for an increase in length
∆l of wire = (0+F)/2 = F/2
Work done on the wire W = average force x ∆l
= ( F/2)x ∆l
This work done is stored as elastic potential
energy U in the wire.
 U = ½ F x ∆l = ½ stretching force x increase in length
= ½ (F/A)x (∆l/l)x Al.
(multiplying and dividing by Al Where A is the area of
cross –section of the wire.)
U = ½ Stress x Strain x Volume of the wire.
Elastic potential energy per unit volume of wire or
elastic energy density = u = U/Volume
= ½ Stress x strain
= ½ Young’s modulus x ( strain)2
Poisson’s ratio:
When a wire is loaded, its length increases but its
diameter decreases. The strain produced in the
direction of applied force is called longitudinal
strain.
The strain produced in the perpendicular direction
is called lateral strain.
Within elastic limit, the ratio of lateral strain to the
longitudinal strain is called Poisson’s ratio.
 Longitudinal strain =∆l/l
Lateral strain = -∆D/D ( The negative shows that
as length increases diameter decreases.)
Poisson’s ratio
= Lateral Strain/Longitudinal Strain
-(l/D). ∆D/∆l.
As Poisson’s ratio is the ratio of two strains, it
has no unit and dimension.
 Numerical problems
1. One end of a wire 2m long and 0.2 cm2 is fixed in
a ceiling and a load of 4.8kg is attached to the
free end. Find the extension of the wire . Young’s
modulus of steel
= 2 x 10 11 N/m2. Take g= 10m/s2
Y = stress/strain
stress= F/A = T/A strain = ∆l/l
Y = (T/A)x l/∆l ∆l = Tl/AY
= 48 x2/0.2 x10-4 x 2x 10 11 =2.4 x10-5m
2. The length of a suspended wire increases by
10-4 of its original length when a stress of 107
N/m2 is applied on it. Calculate the Young’s
modulus of the material of the wire.
Stress = 107N/m2
Strain = ∆l/l = 10-4
Y = stress/strain = 107/10-4 = 1011 N/m2
3. A steel rod has a radius of 10mm and a length of
1m. A 100kN force stretches along its length .
Calculate (a) the stress (b) elongation
(c ) strain on the rod. Y of steel = 2 x1011 N/m2.
Data r= 10mm = 0.01m , l= 1m ,F = 100kN
=105 N , Y = 2 x1011N/m2
Stress = F/A = F/πr2= 3.18 x108 N/m2
Y = (F/A)(l/∆l) Elongation ∆l= 1.59mm
Strain = ∆l/l = 1.59 x10-3
4.A steel wire of length 2m is stretched through 2mm. The
cross sectional area of the wire is 4mm 2. Calculate the
elastic potential energy stored in the stretched condition.
Y of steel is 2x1011 N/m2
The strain in the wire = ∆l/l = 2mm/2m = 10 -3
The stress in the wire = Y x strain = 2x10 11x10-3
= 2 x108 N/m2
Volume of the wire = Ax l = 4 x10-6 x 2 = 8x10-6m3
The elastic potential energy = ½ Stress x Strain x Volume
=1/2 x2x108 x 10-3 x 8 x10-6 = 0.8J
5.One end of a metal wire is fixed to a ceiling
and a load of 2kg hangs from the other end. A
similar wire is attached to the bottom of the
load and another load of 1kg hangs from this
lower wire. Find the longitudinal strain in
both the wires. Area of cross section of each
wire is 0.005cm2 and Y of the metal is
2 x 10-11 N/m2. Take g= 10m/s2
T1 = 10N Stress = 10/5 x10-7 = 2 x 107N/m2
Longitudinal strain = stress/Y = 2 x107/2x 1011
= 10-4
Considering the equilibrium of the upper block,
T2 = 20 +T1 T2 = 20+10 =30N
Stress =30/5 x10-7 = 6 x107 N/m2
Longitudinal Strain = Stress/ Y = 6 x107/2 x1011
= 3 x10-4
6. Find the decrease in the volume of a sample
of water from the following data. Initial
volume =1000cm3, initial pressure = 105N/m2
Final pressure = 106N/m2
Compressibility of water = 50 x10-11m2/N
The change in pressure = ∆p = 106-105
= 9 x105 N/m2
Bulk modulus = 1/compressibility = 2 x109 N/m2
Bulk modulus B = -∆p/ (∆V/V)
∆V = - ∆P x V/ B
= - 9 x105 x 103/2 x109
=-4.5 x 10-1 cm3 = -0.45 cm3
Decrease in Volume = 0.45cm3