Elasticity

Elasticity:
The property of a body by virtue of which it tends to
regain its original shape and size when the deforming
force is removed is called elasticity.
The force acting on the body to deform it is known as
deforming force.

Opposite of elasticity is called plasticity.

Objects are: elastic

Perfectly elastic body:
If a body regains its original shape and size
completely and instantaneously on the removal
of the deforming force then the body is called
perfectly elastic body.
There is no body which is perfectly elastic.
Stress:
The restoring force developed ( equal to applied
force) per unit area on the body is called stress.
Mathematically, stress =
Stress =
Find dimensional formula ……[]
Unit…….N/
 Types of stress
Normal stress:
This is the ratio of normal force per unit area

Normal stress = F / A
There are two types of normal stress. They are,
a. Tensile stress:
if there is an increase in length or extension of
the body in the direction of the applied force the
stress set up is called tensile stress.
b. Compression stress:
If there is decrease in length of the wire or
compression of the body due to the applied
force the stress setup is called compression
stress.
Bulk ( volume) stress:
It is defined as the force
acting perpendicular to the
surface of the object per
unit area of the object.
That is,
Bulk stress =
Shearing stress (tangential stress):

It is defined as the ratio of force acting on

tangent to the surface to the area of the surface.
That is,
Shearing stress =
 Strain
The ratio of change in configuration ( i.e. shape,
length, volume) to the original configuration is
called strain.
Strain =
cw Find the SI unit and dimensional formula of
strain.
Types:
Normal strain( longitudinal strain):
The ratio of change in length to the original
length normal strain or longitudinal strain.

Normal strain =
Normal strain =
Volumetric strain:
The ratio of change
in volume to the original
volume is called
volumetric strain.

volumetric strain =
volumetric strain =
Shear strain:
It is defined as the angle through which the face of
the body originally perpendicular to the fixed face is
turned when it is under the shearing stress.

tanθ =
For small angle,
tanθ θ,
θ=
 Elastic limit
Elastic limit is the maximum value of deforming
force beyond which elastic object loses its
elastic property and gets permanently
deformed.
 Hooke’s law
Within the elastic limit, deforming force(applied
force) in the elastic object is directly proportional
to elongation produced in it.

let F be the applied force and x be the

extension produced then from Hooke’s law,
Fx
Further, multiply dividing by length L and Area A,
F α x
Or, α
Since L /A is constant
α
So, stress α strain
Stress = E strain
Where E is the proportionality constant called
modulus of elasticity.
Modulus of elasticity (E) =
 let us suspend a metallic spring AB vertically from a
rigid support and attach a scale pan to the lower end B of
the spring. Fix a pointer P near the end B of the spring
which can slide over a fixed vertical scale S as shown in
Fig(a). When the scale pan is empty, note the reading of
the pointer on the scale. Add some weight on the pan
and then note the reading of pointer on the scale again.
The difference in the two reading will give us the
extension in the spring for the weight on the scale pan.
Go on adding the weights on the pan in the step by step
and note the corresponding extension in the spring. A
graph is plotted between the weight on the pan and
extension in the spring and a straight line graph is
obtained as shown in fig(b). This shows that extension
load applied. Thus Hooke’s law is verified.
Energy density:
It is defined as the energy stored per unit
volume of the elastic body. i.e.
Energy density (u) =
u=
u=
Hence, energy density is equal to the half of
product of stress and strain.
Poisson’s ratio
The ratio of change in dimension to the original
dimension along which force is applied is called
longitudinal strain. It is denoted by
The ratio of change in dimension to the original
dimension in perpendicular direction to the force
applied is called lateral strain. It is denoted by
Experimentally, it has been found that within the
elastic limit the lateral strain () is directly
proportional to the longitudinal strain ().
i.e,
β α α
So, β = σ α
σ = β/α…………………………………………… (i)
where σ is the proportionality constant called
as Poisson’s ratio.
It is defined as the ratio of lateral strain to the
longitudinal strain within the elastic limit.
Here , β =
Longitudinal strain (α) =
So, σ =
σ=
Elastic after effect:
The temporary delay in regaining the original
configuration by an elastic body after removal of
the deforming force is called elastic after effect.
The elastic after effect is negligibly small for
quartz and phosphor bronze and very large for
glass fiber.
Elastic Fatigue:
Elastic fatigue is the property of an elastic body
by virtue of which its behavior becomes less
elastic under the action of repeated alternating
deforming forces.