Expt.no. : 2.

YOUNG’S MODULUS OF THE GIVEN BEAM-

Date : BY NON-UNIFORM BENDING
Aim
To determine the Young’s Modulus of the material of the given beam by measuring the
depressions with load applied at the mid point.
Apparatus required
A long uniform rectangular bar (wooden meter scale), two tall knife-edge supports, traveling
microscope, pin, screw gauge, vernier calipers and weight hanger with slotted weights.(Units Must
be entered in the all tabular column by students)
Formula
When a uniform beam of rectangular cross section is supported horizontally on two knife-
edges, and a load is applied at the midpoint between the supports, then the depression at that point is
given by
M g l3
y metre
4b d 3 E
Rearranging the above equation, the Young’s Modulus is given by
M g l3
E 3
Nm 2
4b d y
where, E - the Young’s modulus of elasticity in Nm-2
y – the depression at the mid-point in metres
M – the load at the mid-point in kg
l – the distance between the knife edges in metres
b – the breadth of the beam in metres
d – the thickness of the beam in metres
g – the acceleration due to gravity in ms –2
Procedure
A pin index P is fixed vertically up exactly at the mid-point C of the rectangular bar, using
wax (Figure 5.1). The bar is placed horizontally resting on two knife-edges supports A and B
leaving equal lengths on either ends (x). The distance between the knife-edges A and B is measured
as length l. At the mid-point, without disturbing the index pin fixed, a weight hanger is suspended
with the help of a thread. (Before taking readings, weights are added and removed for a number of
times, to bring the bar into the elastic mood).
To begin with, the weight hanger itself is used as the dead load and the traveling microscope
is focused so that the horizontal cross-wire coincides with the image of the tip of the pin (figure 5.1
inset). The reading on vertical scale of the microscope is taken and noted in the Table 5.1.
Weights are added in the hanger in units of 50 gm, and the readings are taken after adjusting
the microscope so that the image of the pin is on the horizontal cross wire. After the maximum safe
load is added the weights are removed one by one and the corresponding readings are taken each
time. The experiment is repeated for one more length kept between the knife-edges.
The beam is removed and its breadth is found using a Vernier caliper (Table 5.2) and
thickness using a Screw Gauge (Table 5.3). Substituting these values in the formula
 Diagram

W/2 W/2
Length x
x
Breadth b l
d Thickness

Microscope
Fig.5.1 Young’s modulus by non-uniform bending
- depression of the beam

Image in the
cross wire

Table 2.1 Measurement of depression of the beam using traveling microscope

Least count of the traveling microscope

We know 1MSD  0.05 cm
and 50 VSD  49 MSD
49
 1 VSD  MSD
50
49  1 
 cm
50  20 
49
  0.05 cm  0.049 cm
50
By definition , the Least Count  1 MSD  1 VSD
 0.05 cm  0.049 cm  0.001 cm
the least count of the Traveling Microscope  0.001cm
 Microscope Reading
Length Loading Unloading Depression (y)
Sl. Mean =
between Load for the load
No
supports ( M) TR ( A) = TR ( B) = A B (M = 0.1 Kg or
(l) MSR VSC MSR + MSR VSC MSR + 100 gm)
(VSC X LC) (VSC X LC) 2

a c

=…………….
W
a

W + 50
b
b d

W + 100 c =…................
l1
1.
W + 150 d

c e
W + 200 e
=…………
f

(y) =

a c

W
a =…………….

W + 50
b

b d
W + 100 c
l2
2. =…………….
W + 150 d

W + 200 e
c e

f
=…………….

Mean, (y) =
Table 2.2 Measurement of breadth of the beam using Vernier calipers

LC = 1 M.S.D – 1 V.S.D

1 9 
i.e LC    cm
10 100 
 10 9 
   cm
100 100
1
 cm  0.01 cm
100

 Least Count of aVernier Caliper  0.01cm

Least count of the Zero error =  ---------- div

Vernier Caliper (LC) = ------- cm Zero Correction =  ---------- div
Sl. Main Scale Vernier Scale VSR  Final reading =
No. Reading
(MSR)
Coincidence
(VSC)
VSC  ZC   LC MSR + VSR
(breadth ‘b’)

Mean breadth (b) = ---------------------

Table 2.3 Measurement of thickness of the beam Screw gauge
Pitch
LC 
No. of Head Scale Divisions
Dis tan ce moved theHS on the PS
Pitch 
No. of Rotations of the HS
1 mm
 Pitch  1mm
1
1mm
Hence the LC   0.01mm
100 divisions
 Least Count of a Screw Gauge  0.01mm
<

Least count of the Zero error =  ---------- div

Screw gauge (LC) = ---------mm Zero Correction =  ---------- div
Sl. No. Pitch Scale Head Scale HSR  Final reading =
Reading Coincidence HSC  ZC   LC PSR + HSR
(PSR) (HSC) (thickness ‘d’)

Mean thickness (d) = ----------------------

M g l3
E 3
Nm 2
4b d y

the young’s modulus of the material of the given bar is calculated. The unit is Nm-2 or Pascal (Pa).
Calculation:

Load at the center M= kg

Breadth of beam b= m

Thickness of beam d= m

Acceleration due to gravity g= ms-2

Mean value of l3/ y = m2

Young’s modulus of the material of the bar,

M g l3
E Nm 2
4b d 3 y
Result
Young’s modulus of the material of the beam
(wooden meter scale) by Non-uniform Bending = ------------------------------ Nm-2