Dated On: 22/11/2017

PHYSICS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS (PRACTICE PROBLEMS)

Important Formulae:
𝐹 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 = ; 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 =
𝐴 𝑂𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
′ 𝐹𝐿 𝑚𝑔𝐿
𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑠 𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑌 = 𝐴∆𝐿 = 𝜋𝑟 2 ∆𝐿
𝑃𝑉
𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑘 𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝐵 = ∆𝑉
∆𝑥
Rigidity Modulus 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 ≈ 𝜃 =
𝐿

1. A load 2 kg produces an extension of 1.5mm in a wire of length 4.5m. The radius of the wire is 0.3 mm. Calculate the
Young’s Modulus of the material of the wire.
2. The diameter of a brass rod is 2 mm. Brass has Young’s Modulus 8.8 x 1010 Pa. Calculate the stress and strain when it
extended by 0.2 % of its length. Also calculate the force exerted.
3. Calculate the percentage increase in the length of a wire of diameter 10-3 m stretched by a force of 10 N. Y of the
material of the wire is 2 x 10 11 Pa.
4. A glass rod has a diameter 1 cm and is 10 cm long. Calculate the largest mass that can be hung from it without
breaking it. Y of glass =6.5 x10 10 Pa and breaking stress for this glass = 5 x 10 7 Pa.
5. Two wires of diameter 0.25 cm, one made of steel and the other made of brass are loaded as
shown in the figure. The unloaded length of steel wire is 1.5 m and that of brass is 1.0 m.
Compute the elongation of the steel and brass wire.
Assume Young’s Modulus of steel 2 x10 11 Pa
Young’s Modulus of brass 9.2 x 10 10 Pa. [NCERT]
6. A metal cube of side 10 cm is subjected to a shear stress 10 4 Nm -2 . Calculate the rigidity
modulus if the top the cube is displaced by 0.05 cm with respect to its bottom.
7. A spherical ball contracts by a volume 0.01 % , when subjected to a normal uniform pressure of 10 7 Pa. Calculate the
bulk modulus of the material of the ball.
8. The stress-strain graph for wires of two materials A and B are given below.
(a) Which material in more ductile?
(b) Which material has greater value of young modulus?
(c) Which of the two is stronger material?
(d) Which material is more brittle?

9. When a spring balances are continuously used for long time, they show wrong reading. Explain why
10. Select the material from the table, which shows more elasticity.

11. Draw the stress-strain graph of a rubber band.

12. Calculate the stress developed in a metal wire when it is strained by 30%. Given young’s modulus of material is
200 GPa.
13. The wire has an unstretched length of 2.40 m and an area of cross section of 3.90 x 10 – 7 m 2 . Determine the
Young’s modulus Y of the material.
14. If the bulk modulus of water is 2 x 10 9 N/m 2, find its compressibility.
15. Which is more elastic, steel or rubber?
16. Between steel and diamond, which is more elastic?
17. What is the necessary condition for the Hooke’s law to be valid?
18. Draw the stress – strain graph of a loading wire.
Mark the following points:
i. Elastic limit ii. Fracture point
iii. Plastic region iv. Elastic region
19. If the young’s moduli of iron and glass are 190 x 109 Nm -2 and 65 x 10 9 Nm -2 respectively. Which is more elastic?
Justify your answer.
20. When the pressure on a sphere is increased by 80 atmospheres, its volume decreases by 0.01%. Find the bulk
modulus of elasticity of the material of the sphere.
21. Young’s modulus for a perfectly rigid body is ---------
22. One end of a rope of a length 4.5 m and diameter 6 mm is fixed to the branch of a tree. A monkey weighing 100 N
jumps to catch the free end and stays there. Find the elongation of the rope. (Young’s modulus = 4.8x10 11 N/ m 2).
23. The stress-strain graph for two materials A and B are given:

(a) Which is more elastic?

(b) Which is stronger?

Additional Problems
1. A load of 2 kg produces an extension of 1 mm in a wire of length 3 m and diameter 1 mm. Calculate the Young’s
Modulus of the material of the wire. [Ans : 7.5 x 10 10N/m2 ]
2. Calculate the percentage increase in length of a wire of diameter 2.5 mm, when stretched by a force of 1000 N. Y of
the material of wire is 12.5 x 1010 N/m2. [Ans : 0.16% ]