Chapter -9 Assignment – Mechanical properties of Solids

1. A thick wire is suspended from a rigid support, but no load is attached to its free end. Is this wire
under stress? Ans. Wires are under stress due to its own weight.
2. On what factors modulus of elasticity depends?
3. Stress and pressure are both forces per unit area. Then in what respect does stress differ from
pressure?
4. Among solids, liquids and gases, which can have all three moduli of elasticity?
5. What does the slope of stress v/s strain graph give?
6. How does Young’s modulus change with the rise in temperature? Ans. inversely proportional
7. Which is more elastic – water or air?
8. Why are springs made of steel and not of copper?
9. What is buckling?
10. Which type of elasticity is involved in the following cases?
i. Compressing of gas
ii. Compressing of liquid
iii. Stretching a wire
iv. Tangential push on the upper face of a block Ans. B in (i) & (ii), Y in (iii) and η in (iv)
11. Write copper, steel, glass and rubber in the order of increasing coefficient of elasticity.
12. The ratio stress/strain remains constant for a small deformation. What happens to this ratio if
deformation is made very large?
13. Two identical springs of steel and copper are equally stretched. On which more work will have to
be done?
14. If two identical springs of steel and copper are pulled by applying equal forces, then in which case
more work will have to be done?
15. The Young’s modulus of a wire of length L and radius r is Y. If the length is reduced to L/2 and
radius r/4, what will be its Young’s modulus?
16. Why are elastic poles given hollow structure?
17. Explain why hollow shafts are preferred to solid shafts for transmitting torque.
18. Steel is more elastic than rubber. Explain.
19. Explain why the beams used in construction of bridges have large depth and small breadth.
20. Read each of the statements below carefully and state, with reasons, if it is true or false.
i. When a material is under tensile stress, the restoring forces are caused under
compressional stress, the restoring forces are due to inter-atomic repulsion.
ii. A piece of rubber under an ordinary stress can display 1000% strain, yet when unloaded
returns to its original length. This shows that the elastic restoring forces in a rubber piece
are strictly conservative.
iii. Elastic restoring forces are strictly conservative only when Hooke’s law is obeyed.
21. Two wires of different materials are suspended from a rigid support. They have the same length
and diameter and carry the same load at their free ends. (a) Will the stress and strain in each wire
be the same? (b) will the extension in both wires be the same?
22. Find the stress to be applied to a steel wire to stretch it by 0.025% of its original length. Y=
9x1010N/m2. Ans. 2.25x107N/m2
23. Two wires made of same material are subjected to forces in the ratio of 1:4. Their lengths are in
the ratio of 8:1 and diameter in the ratio 2:1. Find the ratio of their extensions. Ans. 1:2
24. The graph shows the extension of a wire of length 1m suspended from the top of a roof at one end
with a load W connected to the other end. If the cross-sectional area of wire is 10 -6m2, calculate
the Young’s modulus of the material of wire. Ans. 2x1011N/m2

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25. A structural steel rod has a radius of 10mm and a length of 1m. A 100kN force stretches it along
its length. Calculate (a) the stress, (b) elongation, and (c) strain on the rod. (Y steel=200x109). Ans.
3.18x108N/m2, 1.59mm and 0.16%
26. What is the percentage increase in the length of a wire of diameter 2.5mm stretched by a force of
100kgwt? Ywire = 12.5x1011dynecm-2 Ans. 0.16%
27. The breaking stress for a metal is 7.8x10 9N/m2. Calculate the maximum length of the wire made of
his metal which may be suspended without breaking. Density of metal=7.8kg/m 3. g=10m/s2. Ans.
105m.
28. A composite wire of uniform diameter 3mm consisting of a copper wire of length 2.2m and a steel
wire of length 1.6m stretches under a load by 0.7mm. Calculate the load, given that Y copper =
110x109Pa and Ysteel=200x109Pa. Ans. 176.8N

29. Two wire of diameter 0.25 cm, one made of

steel and other made of brass are loaded as
shown in figure. The unloaded length of steel
wire is 1.5 m and that of brass wire is 1.0 m.
Young’s modulus of steel is 2x1011 Pa and that
of Brass is 0.91x1011Pa. Compute the
elongations of steel and brass wires.
Ans. 1.5x10-4m, 1.3x10-4m.

30. A rod of length 1.05m having negligible mass

is supported at its ends by two wires of steel
(wire A) and aluminum (wire B) of equal
length as shown in fig. The cross-sectional
area of wires A and B are 1mm 2 and 2 mm2
respectively. At what point along the rod
should a mass m be suspended in order to
produce (a) equal stress and (b) equal strain
in both steel and aluminum wires? Ans.
0.7m, 0.43m

31. When the load of a wire is increased from 3kg to 5kg, the elongation increases from 0.61mm to
1.02mm. How much work is done during this extension of the wire? Ans. 16.023x10-3J
32. The average depth of Indian ocean is about 3000m. Calculate the fractional compression of water
at the bottom of the ocean, given that bulk modulus of water is 2.2x10 9N/m2. Ans. 1.36%

33. Explain why are girders given in I shape.

Ans. Deep bar has a tendency to bend due
to weight of traffic. This bending is called
buckling. I shape provide large surface area
and enough depth to prevent buckling.

34. Why hollow shafts are preferred to solid shafts for transmitting torque.
35. A steel wire of 4m is stretched through 2mm. The cross-sectional area of the wire is 2mm 2. If Ysteel
= 2x1011N/m2, find(i) the energy density of the wire and (ii) the elastic potential energy stored in
the wire. Ans. 2.5x104J/m-3, 0.2J
36. Determine the Poisson’s ratio of the material of a wire whose volume remains constant under an
external normal stress. Ans. 0.5
37. Draw a stress-strain curve for a loaded wire.

38. The stress-strain graph for a metal wire is

shown in fig. Upto the point E, the wire
returns to its original state O along the curve
EPO when it is gradually unloaded. Point B
correspond to the fracture of the wire.

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 a) Up to which point on the curve is Hooke’s law obeyed?
b) Which point on the curve correspond to elastic limit and yield point of the wire?
c) Indicate the elastic and plastic regions of the stress-strain graph.
d) Describe what happens when the wire is loaded upto a stress corresponding to point A on the
graph, and then unloaded gradually. In particular explain the dotted curve.
e) What is peculiar about the portion of the stress-strain graph from C to B? Up to what stress,
can the wire be subjected without causing fracture?
39. A uniform heavy rod of weight W, cross-sectional area A and length l is hanging from a fixed
support. Young’s modulus of material of rod is Y. Neglecting the lateral contraction, find the
elongation produced in the rod. Ans. Wl/2AY
40. The length of a metal is l 1 when the tension in it is T 1 and l2 when the tension in it is T 2. Find the
T 2 L1−T 1 l 2
original length of wire. Ans.
T 2−T 1
41. A bar of cross-section A is subjected to equal and opposite tensile forces at its ends. Consider a
plane section of the bar whose normal makes an angle θ with the axis of bar.
a) What is the tensile stress on this plane?
b) What is the shearing stress on this plane?
c) For what value of θ is the tensile stress maximum?
d) For what value of θ is the shearing stress maximum? Ans. F/A cos2θ , (F/2A)sin2θ , 0o, 45o.

42. Two wires A and B of length l, radius r and length 2l, radius 2r having same Young’s modulus Y are
hung in series with a weight mg. What is the net elongation in two wires? Ans. 3mgl/2Y π r2
43. A light rod of length 2 m is suspended horizontally by means of two vertical wires of equal lengths
tied to its ends. One of the wires is made of steel and is of cross-section A 1 = 0.1cm2 and other is
of brass and is of cross-section A 2 = 0.2cm2. Find the position along the rod at which a weight
must be suspended to produce (i) equal stresses in both wires, (ii) equal strains in both wires.
Ysteel=200x109Pa and Ycopper=100x109Pa Ans. 1.33m, 1m
44. A wire of cross-sectional area A is stretched horizontally between two clamps located at a distance
2l meters from each other. A weight W kg is suspended from the midpoint of the wire. If the
vertical distance through which the mid-point of the wire moves down be x(< l), then find (i) The
strain produced in the wire. (ii) The stress in the area. (iii) If Y is the Young’s modulus of wire, then

( )
1 /3
W
find the value of x. Ans.X2/2l, l
YA

MCQ
1. Modulus of rigidity of ideal liquids is

a. Infinity c. Unity
b. Zero d. Some finite non zero value

2. For an ideal liquid

a. The bulk modulus is infinity b. The bulk modulus is zero

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 c. The shear modulus is infinite d. The shear modulus is zero

3. A copper and a steel wire of the same diameter are connected end to end. A deforming force F is
applied to this composite wire which causes a total elongation of 1cm. The two wires will have
a. The same stress
b. Different stress
c. The same strain
d. Different strain
4. In solids inter-atomic forces are

a. Totally repulsive c. Both (a) and (b)

b. Totally attractive d. None of these

5. According to Hooke’s law of elasticity, if stress is increased, the ratio of stress to strain

a. Increases c. Becomes zero

b. Decreases d. Remains constant

6. A long piece of rubber is wider than it is thick. When it is stretched in length by some amount
a. Its thickness decreases but its width increases
b. Its thickness decreases but its width remains constant.
c. Its thickness increases but its width decreases
d. Both its thickness and width decreases.
7. A cube is subjected to a uniform volume compression. If the side of the cube decreases by 2%, the
bulk strain is

a. 0.02 c. 0.04
b. 0.03 d. 0.06

8. Two wires A and B are of same material. Their lengths are in the ratio 1:2 and diameters are in the
ratio 2:1. When stretched by forces FA and FB respectively, they get equal increase in their lengths.
Then the ratio FA/FB should be

a. 1:2 c. 2:1
b. 1:1 d. 8:1

9. The following four wires are made of the same material. Which of these will have the largest
extension, when the same tension is applied?

a. Length =50cm, diameter 0.5mm c. Length =200cm, diameter 2mm

b. Length =100cm, diameter 1mm d. Length =300cm, diameter 3mm

10. A wire of length L, and cross-sectional area A is made of a material of Young’s modulus Y. If the
wire is stretched by an amount x, the work done is

a. YAx2/2L c. YAx/2L
b. YAx2/L d. YAx2L

11. A body of weight mg is hanging on a string which extends in length by l. The work done in
extending the string is

a. mgl c. 2mgl
b. mgl/2 d. None of these

12. Two springs have their force constant K 1 and K2. Both are stretched till their elastic energies are
equal. If stretching forces are F1 and F2, then F1:F2 is
a. K1:k2
b. K2: k1
c. K12:k22
d. √ K1 : √ K2
13. A wire suspended vertically from one of its ends is stretched by attaching a weight of 200N to the
lower end. The weight stretches the wire by 1mm. Find the elastic energy stored in the wire. Ans.
0.1J

a. 0.2J b. 10J
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 c. 20J d. 0.1J

14. If S is the stress and Y is Young’s modulus of the material of a wire, what is the energy stored in
the wire per unit volume in terms of S and Y?

a. 2Y/S c. 2S2Y
b. S/2Y d. S2/2Y

15. Two wies are made of the same material and have the same volume. However wire 1 has cross-
sectional area A and wire 2 has cross-sectional area 3A. If the length of wire 1 increases by ∆ x on
applying force F, how much force is needed to stretch wire 2 by same amount?

a. F c. 6F
b. 4F d. 9F

16. A metal ring of initial radius r and cross-sectional area A is fitted onto a wooden disc of radius R>r.
If Young’s modulus of the metal is Y, then the tension in the ring is

AYR AY (R−r )
a. c.
r r
Yr Y ( R−r)
b. d.
AR Ar
17. The potential energy function for the force between two atoms in a diatomic molecule is
a b
approximately given by U(x) = 12
− 6, where a and b are constants and x is the distance
x x
between the atoms. If the dissociation energy of the molecule is D = [U(x= ∞ ) - Uat equilibrium], D is

2 2
b b
a. c.
6a 12 a
2 2
b.
b d.
b
2a 4a
18. The Young’s modulus of steel is twice that of brass. Two wires of same length and of same area of
cross section, one of steel and another of brass are suspended from the same roof. If we want the
lower ends of the wires to be at the same level, then the weights added to the steel and brass
wires must be in the ratio of [AIPMT 2015]

a. 1:1 c. 2:1
b. 1:2 d. 4:2

19. A pendulum made of a uniform wire of cross-sectional area A has time period T. When an
additional mass M is added to its bob, the time period changes to T M. If the Young’s modulus of the
material of the wire is Y, then 1/Y is equal to [JEE Main 2015]

[( ) ] [ ( )]
2 2
TM A TM A
a. −1 c. 1−
T Mg T Mg

[( ) ] [ ( )]
2 2
TM Mg T A
b. −1 d. 1−
T A TM Mg

20. A uniform cylindrical rod of length L, cross-sectional Area A and Young’s modulus Y is acted upon
by the forces as shown in fig. The elongation of the rod is

a. 2FL/5AY c. 3FL/8AY
b. 3FL/5AY d. 8FL/3AY

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21. A Highly rigid cubical block A of small mass M and side L is fixed rigidly on to another cubical
block B of the same dimensions and of low modulus of rigidity G such that the lower face of A
completely covers face of B. The lower face of B is rigidly held on a horizontal surface. A small
force F is applied perpendicular to one of the side faces of A. After the force is withdrawn, block A
execute small oscillation, the time period of which is given by

√
a. 2 π √ MGL ML
c. 2π
b. 2 π
√ MG
L
d. 2π
G
M
GL√
22. Consider two cylindrical rods of identical dimensions, one of rubber and the other of steel. Both
the rods are fixed rigidly at one end to the roof. A mass M is attached to each of free ends at the
center of the rods.
a. Both the rods will elongate but there shall be no perceptible change in shape
b. The steel rod will elongate and change shape but the rubber rod will only elongate
c. The steel rod will elongate without any perceptible change in the shape, but the rubber rod will
elongate and the shape of bottom edge will change to an ellipse.
d. The steel rod will elongate, without any perceptible change in shape, but the rubber rod will
elongate with the shape of bottom

Assertions and Reasons

Directions. In the following questions, a statement of assertion is followed by a statement of reason.
Mark the correct choice as
a. If both assertion and reason are true and reason is correct explanation of the assertion
b. If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not correct explanation of the assertion
c. If assertion is true, but reason is false
d. If assertion is false, but reason is true
e. If both assertion and reason are false
1. Assertion: Lead is more elastic than rubber.
Reason: If same load is loaded on the lead and rubber wire of same cross-sectional area, the
strain of lead I very much less than that of rubber.
2. Assertion: Stress is the internal force per unit Area of a body.
Reason: Rubber is more elastic than steel.
3. Assertion: Young’s modulus of elasticity is not defined for liquids.
Reason: liquid cannot be stretched like wires.
4. Assertion: Incompressible liquids have finite value of bulk modulus of elasticity.
Reason: compressibility is inverse of bulk modulus of elasticity.
5. Assertion: The materials having low value of Young’s modulus of elasticity are more ductile.
Reason: If Young’s modulus is less, then they can be easily stretched as wires.
6. Assertion: Bulk modulus of elasticity of gases is pressure dependent.
Reason: More the pressure of gas, more is the bulk modulus of elasticity of gas.
7. Assertion: Bulk modulus of an incompressible fluid is infinite.
Reason: Density of incompressible fluid remain same.
8. Assertion: Up to elastic limit of a stress-strain curve, the steel wire tends to regain its original
shape when stress is removed.
Reason: Within elastic limit, the wire follows Hooke’s law.
9. Assertion: If radius of cylindrical wire is doubled, then this wire can bear four times stress.
Reason: By doubling the radius, area of cross-section will become four times.
10. Assertion: Stress is the internal force per unit Area of a body.
Reason: Rubber is more elastic than steel.

Answers (MCQ)
1. b 2. a, d 3. a, d 4. c

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 5. d 11.b 17.d
6. d 12.d 18.c
7. d 13.d 19.a
8. d 14.d 20.d
9. a 15.d 21.d
10.a 16.c 22.d

Answers (A&R)
1. a 5. a 9. d
2. c 6. a 10. c
3. a 7. b
4. d 8. c

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