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Student Name: ________________________

Unit 5: Design

Lesson 2: Manufacturing
File 5.2.2: Material Testing
In order to select the appropriate material for a product, Engineers and designers must look at the properties of the material to determine if it will perform as needed. For example, an engineer would not use rubber for the beam on a bridge because it is too elastic (easily deformed) under loads. There are specific procedures scientists, engineers and researchers use to test materials to determine certain properties. Material properties can be looked up in textbooks, and online. One form of testing that is used to determine a materials physical properties related to loads when applied in the form of tension (pulling) is called tensile testing. A material sample is placed in a machine, which applies a force and stretches the material until it breaks. The data collected from the machine creates a stress vs. strain graph. From this graph, engineers can determine the elastic limit (the amount of force the material can withstand before permanently deforming), the maximum strength and the failure force. Navigate to the simulated tensile testing site: http://www.whystudymaterials.ac.uk/teachers/tensile.asp. Click on Start Testing. Choose a type of carbon steel and select start to begin creating a stress vs. strain graph. After experimenting, describe what is happening to the test sample for each of the graphs pictured below. Email or return this completed document to your teacher. Graph Portion #1:

Description of what is happening to test sample: The graph increases then it rapidly decreases.

Graph Portion #2:

Description of what is happening to test sample:

The same thing that is happen in the first graph happened in the second graph increased and rapidly decreases

Technology, Engineering, and Design