WHITEFIELD GLOBAL SCHOOL

PHYSICS NOTES – CLASS XI

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS

In Chapter 7, we studied the rotation of the bodies and then realised that the motion of
a body depends on how mass is distributed within the body. We restricted ourselves to
simpler situations of rigid bodies. A rigid body generally means a hard solid object
having a definite shape and size. But in reality, bodies can be stretched, compressed and
bent.
• Even the appreciably rigid steel bar can be deformed when a sufficiently large
external force is applied on it. This means that solid bodies are not perfectly
rigid.
• A solid has definite shape and size. In order to change (or deform) the shape or
size of a body, a force is required. If you stretch a helical spring by gently pulling
its ends, the length of the spring increases slightly. When you leave the ends of
the spring, it regains its original size and shape. The property of a body, by
virtue of which it tends to regain its original size and shape when the applied
force is removed, is known as elasticity and the deformation caused is known as
elastic deformation.
• However, if you apply force to a lump of putty or mud, they have no gross
tendency to regain their previous shape, and they get permanently deformed.
Such substances are called plastic and this property is called plasticity. Putty and
mud are close to ideal plastics.
• The elastic behaviour of materials plays an important role in engineering design.
For example, while designing a building, knowledge of elastic properties of
materials like steel, concrete etc. is essential. The same is true in the design of
bridges, automobiles, ropeways etc.
• In this chapter, we shall study the elastic behaviour and mechanical properties of
solids.
Solids and their mechanical properties
• Mechanical Properties of solids describe characteristics such as their strength and
resistance to deformation.
• It describes about the ability of an object to withstand the stress applied to that
object. Objects also resist changing their shape.
• For example:- Objects such as clay can be easily deformed so they have less
resistance to deformation but objects like iron don’t change their shapes easily.
When heated they change their shapes which means they have very high resistance
to deformation.
ELASTIC BEHAVIOUR OF SOLIDS

✔ We know that in a solid, each atom or molecule is surrounded by neighbouring

atoms or molecules.
 ✔ These are bonded together by interatomic or intermolecular forces and stay in a
stable equilibrium position.
✔ When a solid is deformed, the atoms or molecules are displaced from their
equilibrium positions causing a change in the interatomic (or intermolecular)
distances. When the deforming force is removed, the interatomic forces tend to
drive them back to their original positions. Thus the body regains its original
shape and size. The restoringmechanism can be visualised by taking a model of
spring-ball system shown in the Fig.
✔ Here the balls represent atoms and springs represent interatomic forces.
✔ If we try to displace any ball from its equilibrium position, the spring system
tries to restore the ball back to its original position. Thus elastic behaviour of
solids can be explained in terms of microscopic nature of the solid. Robert
Hooke, an English physicist (1635 - 1703A.D) performed experiments on springs
and found that the elongation (change in the length) produced in a body is
proportional to the applied force or load.
✔ In 1676, he presented his law of elasticity, now called Hooke’s law.

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Elasticity: -
❖ Elasticity is a property by virtue of which a body tends to regain its original
shape and size once the external force is removed is called elasticity.
❖ This means it tells us how much elastic a body is.
❖ For example:- A spring .If we stretch a spring it changes its shape and when the
external force is removed spring comes back to its original position.
Plasticity: - Plasticity is reverse of elasticity.
• Property means permanent deformation.
• The object never regains its original shape even when the external force is
removed. These types of objects are called as plastics.
• For example:- Toys, Buckets made up of plastics.
Inter molecular Force
In a solid, atoms and molecules are arranged in such a way that each molecule is acted
upon by the forces due to the neighbouring molecules. These forces are known as inter
molecular forces.

Perfectly elastic body

A body which regains its original configuration immediately and completely after the
removal of deforming force from it, is called perfectly elastic body. Quartz and
phosphor bronze are the examples of nearly perfectly elastic bodies.
Eg: Quartz and phosphor bronze.
Perfectly plastic body
A body which does not regain its original size and shape even on removal of the
deforming force is called a perfectly plastic body.
Eg: Putty, mud and paraffin wax.
Stress:-
• Whenever we apply an external force on the body to change its shape there is a
restoring force that develops in the body in the opposite direction.
• For example:-
• When we apply an external force to a rubber ball at the same instant of
time some force develops in the ball which acts in the opposite direction.
• This opposite force which develops in the ball when an external force is
applied is known as restoring force.
• Both the forces are equal in magnitude.
• Stress is defined as the internal restoring force developed per unit area.
• Mathematically:-
• Stress = F/A
• Where F= restoring force developed in the body because of force we apply.
• A=area
• S.I. Unit :- N/m2 or Pascal(Pa) , Dimensional formula is [ML–1T–2].
Stress is of two types:
(i) Normal stress: It is defined as the restoring force per unit area perpendicular /acting
normally to the surface of the body.
Normal stress is of two types:
• (a) Tensile stress : If there is an increase in the length of a wire or extension of
the body in the direction of applied force, then the stress is called tensile stress.
 • (b) Compressive stress: If there is an decrease in the length of a wire or
compression of the body due to the applied force, then the stress is called
Compressive stress.

(ii) Tangential stress: When the elastic restoring force or deforming force acts
parallel /tangential to the surface area, the stress is called tangential stress.

Strain
It is defined as the ratio of the change in size or shape to the original size or shape. It
has no dimensions, it is just a number.
• Strain is of three types:
(i) Longitudinal strain: If the deforming force produces a change in length alone,
the strain produced in the body is called longitudinal strain or tensile strain. It is given
as:
STRESS- STRAIN RELATION
 • Elastic After Effect :
The temporary delay in regaining the original configuration by the elastic body after
the removal of deforming force, is called elastic after effect.
 • Elastic Fatigue :
The property of an elastic body by virtue of which its behaviour becomes less elastic
under the action of repeated alternating deforming force is called elastic fatigue.
• Ductile Materials : The materials which show large plastic range beyond elastic
limit are called ductile materials. e.g., copper, silver, iron, aluminum, etc. Ductile
materials are used for making springs and sheets.
• Brittle Materials :
The materials which show very small plastic range beyond elastic limit are called brittle
materials, e.g., glass, cast iron, etc.
• Elastomers :
The materials for which stress and strain variation is not a straight line because strain
produced is much larger than the stress applied, with in the limit of elasticity are called
elastomers, e.g., rubber, the elastic tissue of aorta, the large vessel carrying blood from
heart. etc. Elastomers have no plastic range and do not obey Hooke’s law.
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