1

DETERMINATION OF THE YOUNG MODULUS me05

1. Introduction
If a material is subjected to a deforming stress a strain will be induced. The ratio of stress to
strain is called an elastic modulus and several of these are required to characterize fully the
response of a material to the different kinds of stress that may be applied. A common one is
the Young modulus, E, that relates linear strain, , (extension per unit length in a particular
direction) to the stress, , (force per unit area acting in the same direction):
E =

Where
=
F
A
and
=
x
l

Area, A
F F
l
x


E is the significant modulus in the analysis of the bending of rods and bars. If a bar is
supported symmetrically on two knife edges and loaded at the centre it will deform with the
lower part of the bar in tension, the upper part in compression and with a central section
(called the neutral plane) neither stretched nor compressed. The depression of the bar at the
centre is a function of the load applied and may be used to determine the Young modulus of
materials such as brass, glass, wood etc., see reference [1] for background details.

2. Theory
The theory is most easily developed by considering half the system, between the centre and
one point of support, and inverting it to resemble a loaded cantilever.

Consider the extension of a filament at P of length dx, of depth dz, distant z from the neutral
plane and bent into an arc of radius R. Let the width of the bar (into the page) at this point be
b. Then by similar triangles the strain in the filament is given by
2
=
z
R


and thus the stress by =
Ez
R


The tension in the filament is given by stress area of cross-section and is thus

Ez
R
b dz.

When integrated over the whole section at P the moment of this tension about the neutral
plane is
E
R
I where
I bz
2
dz

is called the moment of area of the cross-section of the bar about the neutral plane. The
total moment is supplied by the external loading and is thus given by W L x ( ). Hence


EI
R
= W L x ( ).

Now for small bending
1
R

d
2
y
dx
2
and thus we arrive at the differential equation describing the
bending of the bar: EI
d
2
y
dx
2
= W L x ( ).

After two integrations with appropriate attention to the constants of integration we find that
the depression is given by
=
WL
3
3IE
.

On reverting to the configuration of the present experiment, which means replacing W by
mg 2 , it is found that the depression is
=
mgL
3
6IE
.

For bars of rectangular cross-section with thickness d and width b,

I = bd
3
12

and for circular cross-section I = r
4
4.
3
3. Method
Conduct the following experiment on at least three bars, including both rectangular section
and circular section bars, and one glass bar. If you have time you may extend your
measurements to the other bars (aluminium, steel, brass and copper are provided).
Set up the bar symmetrically on the knife edges and make sure that the light scale-pan is
suspended from the centre. Devise a way of measuring the depression of the centre of the
rod. Your method should be independent of any swinging motion of the pan, and of any
rolling of the bar in the case of the circular section bars. A needle is provided as a pointer,
but you will have to use your own ingenuity to work out the best way of making this
measurement. Load the pan gradually and follow the position of the pointer using the
microscope. Make a series of measurements under both increasing and decreasing loads.
N.B. do not overload the glass bar: 100 g is the maximum mass to be used with this bar.
Using the data of microscope reading vs. load, plot an appropriate straight-line graph to
determine the value of E. You will need to give some thought to the connection between the
microscope reading and the depression of the bar. Measure the dimensions of the bar very
carefully: an error in one of these is magnified because it enters the calculation raised to
power 3 or 4. Compare your results and calculated errors (partial differential method is best)
with accepted values obtained from a book of physical constants, and comment on any
discrepancies.

4. Questions
1) A more rigorous approach takes the mass of the bar itself into account. How would you
expect the mass to affect the depression? Is any effect detectable in your work?

2) The theory above applies to the case where the bar is supported close to its ends. What
would you expect to happen if the points of support were moved (symmetrically)
inwards?

Reference: [1] FH Newman and VHL Searle, The General Properties of Matter, Chapter 5.