Load wires and springs, measure their dimensions and extension, determine Young modulus, and compare elastic recovery, permanent deformation and fracture.
Learning guide and suggested activities
What this tool shows
Young modulus from measured wire dimensions and extension
Force–extension and engineering stress–strain graphs
Effects of length, diameter and material on stiffness
Hooke’s law, recoverable energy and work during unloading
Idealised ductile, brittle and nonlinear elastic behaviour
OCR A relevance
Materials: Hooke’s law, stress, strain and Young modulus
Practical measurements of wire dimensions and extension
Elastic and plastic deformation; force–extension and stress–strain graphs
AQA relevance
3.4.2: Materials, bulk properties and the Young modulus
Required practical 4: determination of the Young modulus by a simple method
Try these tasks
Measure a wire’s length and diameter, collect load–extension data and determine Young modulus.
Double the length or diameter and compare extensions under equal loads.
Unload a copper sample after yielding and measure its permanent extension.
Compare linear springs and nonlinear elastic rubber.
Compare measured graph area with model recoverable energy.