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Lab4 Physics Completed

The document describes an experiment to determine the Young's Modulus of wood using a meter ruler clamped as a cantilever beam. Weights were added to the end of the ruler and the deflection was measured. The results were used to calculate the gradient and find Young's Modulus according to the equation relating stress, strain, and material properties.

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Ainsley Boodram
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61 views4 pages

Lab4 Physics Completed

The document describes an experiment to determine the Young's Modulus of wood using a meter ruler clamped as a cantilever beam. Weights were added to the end of the ruler and the deflection was measured. The results were used to calculate the gradient and find Young's Modulus according to the equation relating stress, strain, and material properties.

Uploaded by

Ainsley Boodram
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lab #4

Topic: Mechanical properties

Cantilevers are a common sight in houses, The properties of the material to be used, are of paramount
importance.

Aim: This experiment is to determine the Young’s Modulus of the wood used to make the ruler used in
the laboratory.

Apparatus and materials: 2G clamps, vernier caliper, meter ruler, retort stand, 10 5.5g lead balls, sock
with string.

Diagram of apparatus:

Method:

1. The ruler was clamped firmly to the bench using the two G- clamps, 20 cm of the ruler was used.
2. The length extending out from the bench, L was measured.
3. A ruler was placed vertically to the loose end of the rod, so that it measured the depression of
the tip of the rod.
4. The reading of the ruler before any mass was hung was noted.
5. A small mass was hung at the end and the depression from the original mark, h, was noted.
6. These steps were repeated for four additional masses.

Results:

Initial height= 0.74m

Thickness of meter rule= 9mm =0.009m

Width= 36mm = 0.036m


Length of ruler from clamps= 1 m

Mass/kg length/m Displacement(h)/m


0 0.735 0
2 x 0.0055=0.011 0.730 0.735-0.730=0.005
4 x 0.0055=0.022 0.725 0.735-0.725=0.010
6 x 0.0055=0.033 0.720 0.735-0.720=0.015
8 x 0.0055=0.044 0.715 0.735-0.715=0.020
10 x 0.0055= 0.055 0.710 0.735-0.710=0.025

H= (4Mgl3)/(Ewt3)

This can also be stated as a ratio of Stress/ strain.

Equation of a straight line, states y= mx + c

By rearranging the equation, H= (4Mgl3)/(Ewt3) to H= (4gl3)/(Ewt3) x mass

We can state that H = y, m [ in this case being the gradient] = (4gl 3)/ (Ewt3), and the mass= x,

Therefore, the gradient [ m] = (4gl3)/ (Ewt3, where t is the thickness and l are the length of the ruler from
the clamps, which was stated above.

m = 4 (9.80) x (13) / (0.0093) x (0.36) x (E)

m = (y2- y1)/(x2-x1)

m= (0.025 -0.005)/ (0.055-0.011)

Therefore m/ gradient = 0.02/0.044=0.45

E= 4gl3/m(wt3), Where m= gradient, g= acceleration due to gravity, t = thickness of the ruler, l is the
length of the ruler from the end of the table and w = the width of the ruler.

E= 4x (9.80) (1)3/ (m) (0.009)3(0.036)

E= 4x (9.80) (1)3/ (0.45) (0.009)3(0.036)

Therefore E, Youngs modulus= 3,319,277,210. = 3.319277210 x 10 9 Pa

Discussion:

"Young's modulus, also known as the tensile modulus or elastic modulus, is a measure of the stiffness of
an elastic material and is a quantity used to characterize materials. It is defined as the ratio of the stress
(force per unit area) along an axis to the strain (ratio of deformation over initial length) along that axis in
the range of stress in which Hooke's law holds. For different types of materials, the stress strain plots
can look very different. Brittle materials tend to be very strong because they can withstand a lot of
stress, they don't stretch very much and will break suddenly. Ductile materials (example to meter ruler)
have a larger elastic region where the stress-strain relationship is linear which is seen in the graph
plotted above, but at the first turnover (the elastic limit), the linearity breaks down and the material can
no longer return to its original form. The second peak, is the ultimate tensile strength this can tells us
the maximum stress a material can withstand before breaking. Young's modulus is given by the gradient
of the line in a stress-strain plot, the graph of stress/mass(x-axis) which was the force per unit
correctional area(F/A=N/m2) vs strain/displacement (extension/original length) (y axis) was used to find
the gradient of the of the graph which was then in turn used to calculated the value of E (Youngs
Modulus). As the weights were added, the was ruler bent. Another ruler which was held up vertically by
a retort stand was needed to be placed exactly at the edge of the horizontal meter ruler, this acted as
the cantilever. The bend of the meter ruler was proportional to the weights which were added at the
edge of the ruler up to a certain point which would have been the elastic limit. If the weight was too
heavy and exceeded the elasticity limit the limit of proportionality will also be exceeded. At this point,
the ruler will no longer bend proportionally to the weight added. However, the values and readings from
the experiment which was applied to the formula below gave the value for Young's modulus.

Where E was calculated using the formula:

E=stress/strain

Precautions:

1. Ensure that the ruler that was attached to the retort stand was touching the ground not the
base of the retort stand.
2. Readings taken when cantilever was steady.
3. Removing weights to check If the cantilever would go back to its previous extension.

Sources of Error:

1. There could have been human errors when taking the height of the meter ruler when it was
being displaced the weights/lead balls.
2. If the readings were not taken at eye level there could have been inaccurate readings.
3. Instrument error.

Conclusion:

The value of E/ Youngs Modulus was found to be = 3.319277210 x 10 9 Pa

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