NOTE

P H Y S I C S

SOLID MECHANICS
HOOKE’S LAW AND MODULUS OF ELASTICITY

What you already know What you will learn

• Classification of matter • Young’s modulus (Y)

• Rigid vs real solid body • Modulus of rigidity (G)
• Elasticity • Bulk modulus (K)
• Stress and strain • Stress vs strain curve

Young’s Modulus (Y)

Young’s modulus is defined as the ratio of normal stress to longitudinal strain within the elastic
limit. Consider a rod of length l and area of cross section A fixed at one end, and a block of mass M
attached to the other end of the rod. Due to this attachment, the rod elongates by Δl.
Normal stress
Y= Fixed Fixed
Longitudinal strain
Now, the new length of the rod is, l + Δl.
The force acting on the cross section of the rod is,
Fn = Mg
The change in the length of the rod is,
l + ∆l − l = ∆l l M
The normal stress on the rod is, l + Δl
Fn
σn =
A
Mg
⇒ σ n = ......................(i)
A
The longitudinal strain on the rod is,
M
∆ l ......................(ii)
ε =
l
Normal stress Mg
Y=
Longitudinal strain  Mg 
 A  Mgl
From equations (i) and (ii), we get, Y =  =
 ∆ l  A∆l
 l 
 
02

Two wires of equal volume are made from the same material. The first wire has cross-
sectional area A and the second wire has cross-sectional area 3A. If the length of the first
wire is increased by ∆l on applying force F, how much force is needed to stretch the second
wire by the same amount?

(A) 9F (B) 6F (C) 4F (D) F

NEET

Solution

Given,
The length of the first wire is l whose cross-sectional area is A. Its length is increased by Δl on
applying force F.
Let the length of the second wire with cross-sectional area 3A be l’.
Let the force acting on the second wire be F’.
It is given that the elongation of both the wires is the same, i.e., ∆l.
Further, the volume of both the wires is also same.
Let the volume of the first wire be V1.
V1= A × l
Let the volume of the second wire be V2.
V2 3 A × l '
=
V1 = V2

⇒ A × l = 3A × l '

⇒l=3l '
l
⇒ l ' =......................(i)
3
As both the wires are made up of the same From equation (i), we get the following:
material, the Young’s modulus of these wires
is also the same. F' l
Fl
= ×
3 3
F F′
F'
A 3A
Y =
= ⇒F =
∆l ∆l 9
l l′ ⇒F′ =
9F
F ′l′
⇒ Fl =
3
Thus, option (A) is the correct answer.
03

The Young’s modulus of steel is twice as that of brass. Two wires of the same length and
same area of cross section, one of steel and the other of brass, are suspended from the
same roof. If we want the lower ends of the wires to be at the same level, then in what ratio
must the weights be added to the wires?

(A) 1 : 1 (B) 1 : 2 (C) 2 : 1 (D) 4 : 1

Solution

Let the length of the brass rod and the steel rod be lb and ls, respectively.
Assume that the weight added to the brass rod and the steel rod is Wb and Ws, respectively.
We know that, Fixed
Stress
Y=
Strain
F
Wl
⇒ Y= A=
∆l A∆l
l
Therefore,
For the steel wire, we get the following: lb ls
Ws ls
Ys = ......................(i)
As ∆ l
For the brass wire, we get the following:
Wb lb ......................(ii)
Yb =
Ab ∆ l
Δl Δl
As per the given condition,
Wb Ws
Ys = 2Yb

Substituting Ys and Yb from equations (i) and (ii) in the above equation, we get the following:
Ws ls 2Wb lb ......................(iii)
=
As ∆ l Ab ∆ l
As per the given condition,
ls = lb
As = A b

From equation (iii), we get the following:

Ws = 2Wb

Ws 2
⇒ =
Wb 1
Thus, option (C) is the correct answer.
04

Modulus of Rigidity (G)

The ratio of tangential stress to shearing strain within the elastic limit is known as the modulus of
rigidity (G).
Tangential stress
G=
Shearing strain
Consider a cube whose lower face is fixed and a tangential force F acts on the upper face having
an area A, as shown in the figure. The displacement of the upper face is x.
F x
Tangential stress =
A
x F
=
Shearing strain = tanφ ≈ φ
L
F ϕ
F L
G
= A
=
φ Aφ

Bulk Modulus (K)

The ratio of normal stress to volumetric strain within the elastic limit is known as the bulk modulus
(K).
F
Normal stress V
K =
Volumetric strain

Consider a ball of volume V experiencing a

force F from all the directions normal to the
surface of the ball.
F
K= A = − ∆P × V
∆V ∆V
−
V
Where, ∆P is the increase in pressure, and the
‘–’ sign shows the compression of the ball.
V – ∆V

Stress vs Strain Curve

The points shown in the graph (on the next page) are known by certain names as follows:
P: Proportional limit C: Fracture point
05

• In region OP, stress is proportional to Stress

strain. Hooke’s law states that within the
elastic limit, the stress (𝜎) in a body is Elastic Plastic B
proportional to the corresponding strain region region
(𝜀): Stress ∝ Strain A C
Therefore, Hooke’s law is obeyed. E
• Beyond point 𝐸, a permanent deformation
of the body takes place. P
• The stress corresponding to point 𝐸 is known
as the yield strength of the material.
• The stress corresponding to point 𝐵 is known
as the ultimate tensile strength of the
material.
• The plastic region between 𝐸 and 𝐶 is small θ
for brittle materials. O Strain
• The plastic region between 𝐸 and 𝐶 is large for ductile materials.

The stress vs strain curves are drawn for two different materials, X and Y. It is observed that
the ultimate strength point and the fracture point are close to each other for material X but
are far apart for material Y. We can say that materials X and Y are likely to be (respectively),

(A) Plastic and ductile (B) Ductile and brittle (C) Brittle and ductile (D) Brittle and plastic

Solution

Ductile materials have a fracture point lower than the ultimate tensile strength (i.e., the points are
far apart). Whereas, in brittle materials, the fracture point is nearly equivalent to the ultimate tensile
strength (i.e., the points are close). Therefore, material X is brittle and material Y is ductile in nature.
Stress Brittle material Stress Ductile material
Elastic Plastic Elastic Plastic B
region region region region
B A C
E
A C
E
P
P

θ θ
O Strain O Strain
Material X Material Y
Thus, option (C) is the correct answer.
06

Poisson’s Ratio (𝜈)

The negative ratio of lateral strain to longitudinal

strain is known as Poisson’s ratio (𝜈).
dr
− r – dr F
𝜈v = r
dL L dL
L

Work Done in Stretching a Wire

Consider force F being applied along the length

of a rod having length L and cross-sectional area
A.
F A F
Stress =
A
L ∆L
∆L
Strain =
L
We know that,
F
Stress A
=Y =
Strain ∆L
L A F
YA ∆ L ......................(i) L x dx
⇒F =
L
From equation (i), we get the following:
YAx ......................(ii)
F =
L
The work done for an additional increase (dx) in the length is,
dW = F dx
The total work done in increasing the length by ∆L is,
∆L ∆L
=W ∫=
dW
0 ∫ 0
F dx

∆L YAx
∫
⇒W =
0 L
dx

∆L
 YAx 2 
⇒W =
 
 2L  0

YA ( ∆ L )
2

⇒W =
2L
07

Total energy stored in wire (U) Energy stored per unit volume in wire
(UV)

1 1 Fl
Fl ×
2 2 Volume

1 1
× ( Stress ) × Volume × ( Stress )
2 2

2Y 2Y

1 1
× Y × ( Strain )
2
× Y × ( Strain ) × Volume
2

2 2

1 1
× Stress × Strain × Volume × Stress × Strain
2 2

When a block of mass M is suspended by a long wire of length L, the length of the wire
becomes (L + l ). Find the elastic potential energy stored in the extended wire.

1
(A) 1 Mgl (B) MgL (C) Mgl (D) MgL
2 2

NEET
Fixed
Solution

Let the force applied on the rod of length L be F.

F = Mg
We know that,
The elastic potential energy of the stretched wire,
1 L
U= × Streching force × Extension in the wire
2
1
⇒U= ×F×l
2
1
⇒U= × Mg × l
2 l
1
⇒ U =Mgl M
2
Thus, option (A) is the correct answer.