Solids and Elasticity

ELASTICITY
Elasticity is that property of the material of a body by virtue of which the body opposes any
change in its shape or size when deforming forces are applied to it and recovers its original
state as soon as the deforming forces are removed. Perfectly elastic bodies recover their
original states completely. Perfectly plastic bodies retain their modified form. The maximum
deforming force upto which a body retains its property of elasticity is called the “limit of
elasticity” of the material of the body.
Stress
When an external force or system of forces is applied on a body, it undergoes a change in the shape
or size according to nature of the forces. We have explained that in the process of deformation,
internal restoring force is developed due to molecular displacements from their positions of
equilibrium. The internal restoring force opposes the deforming force. The internal restoring
force acting per unit area of cross-section of a deformed body is called stress.
In equilibrium, the restoring force is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the external
deforming force. Hence, stress is measured by the external force per unit area of cross-section
when equilibrium is attained. If the magnitude of deforming force is F and it acts on area A, we can
write
Strain
Deforming forces produce changes in the dimensions of the body. In general, the strain is
defined as the change in dimension (e.g. length, shape or volume) per unit dimension of the
body. As the strain is ratio of two similar quantities, it is a dimensionless quantity.
Depending on the kind of stress applied, strains are of three types : (i) linear strain,(ii) volume
(bulk) strain, and (iii) shearing strain.
This constant of proportionality E is a measure of elasticity of the substance and is called
modulus of elasticity. As strain is a dimensionless quantity, the modulus of elasticity has the
same dimensions (or units) as stress. Its value is independent of the stress and strain but
depends on the nature of the material.
The reciprocal of bulk modulus of a substance is called compressibility :
1 1 ΔV
k= =
B V V
Gases being most compressible are least elastic while solids are most elastic or least
compressible i.e. Bsolid > Bliquid > Bgas
EXAMPLES
1. Calculate the force required to increase the length of a wire of steel of cross sectional area 0.1 cm2 by
50%. Given Y = 2 × 1011 N m–2.
2. When a solid rubber ball is taken from the surface to the bottom of a lake, the reduction in its
volume is 0.0012 %. The depth of lake is 360 m, the density of lake water is 10 3 kgm–3 and
acceleration due to gravity at the place is 10 m s–2. Calculate the bulk modulus of rubber.
3. A Metal cube of side 20 cm is subjected to a shearing stress of 104 Nm–2. Calculate the modulus
of rigidity, if top of the cube is displaced by 0.01 cm. with respect to bottom.
Elastic Energy
When a spring is either compressed or extended, it undergoes a change in its
configuration and is capable of performing work.
Elastic energy is a kind of potential energy and it is the energy which is associated
with the state of compression or extension of an elastic object like a spring. The force
involved here is the spring force. If we compress or extend a spring, we change the
relative locations of the coil of the spring. In case of a rubber like tube we change the
relative locations of its different layers. A restoring force resists the change and result
in work done by us due to which increases the elastic potential energy of the spring or
such like objects increases.
Suppose the spring constant of a spring is k. If the spring is stretched through

a distance e at any instant, then the force applied is given by,
F = ke
If the spring is further stretched by a small distance de then the small work done:
dW = F de = ke de
Therefore, the total work done in stretching the spring through a total distance l from its equilibrium
position is given by
e e 1 2
W =∫0 Fde=∫0 ke de= k e
2
1 2 I
Hence the elastic potential energy U = k e = F e , since F=ke
2 2
In terms of stress and strain, Hooke’s law is stated as follows:

QUESTIONS
1. A wire increases by 10–3 of its length when a stress of 1 × 108 Nm-2 is applied
to it. Calculate Young’s modulus of material of the wire.
2. Calculate the elastic potential energy stored in a spring of spring constant 200
Nm–1 when it is stretched through a distance of 10 cm.
3. For steel the breaking stress is 8.0 x 106 N/m and the density is 8.0 x 103Kg/m3.
Find the maximum length of a steel wire which can be suspended without
breaking under its own weight (g=10m/s2).
4. What stress would cause a wire to increase in length by one-tenth of one

percent if the Young modulus for the wire is 12 x 10 10 Nm-2? What force
would produce this stress if the diameter of the wire is 0.56mm?
5. A tie bar 3m long overall consists of two steel bars welded onto the end of a
tube. The diameter of the steel bars is 40mm and each is 0.6m long, the
external diameter of the tube is 40mm, the internal diameter is 20mm and the
length is 1.8m. Determine the extension of the rod when it is subjected to an
axial load of 9000kg. (E=207 x 10 6KN/m2).
6. A vertical brass rod of circular section is loaded by placing a 5kg weight on top
of it. If its length is 50cm, its radius of cross-section 1cm, and the young
modulus of the material 3.5 x 1010Nm-2, find the contraction of the rod and the
energy stored in it.

Solids and Elasticity

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Solids and Elasticity

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ELASTICITY

Suppose the spring constant of a spring is k. If the spring is stretched through

In terms of stress and strain, Hooke’s law is stated as follows:

4. What stress would cause a wire to increase in length by one-tenth of one

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