Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Forces and Elasticity - Coggle Diagram
Forces and Elasticity
-
Hooke's law
-
Limit of proportionality
Spring constant is a measure of the stiffness of a spring up to its limit of proportionality or elastic limit. The limit of proportionality refers to the point beyond which Hooke's law is no longer true when stretching a material. The elastic limit of a material is the furthest amount it can be stretched or distorted without being able to return to its previous shape. Once a material has gone past its elastic limit, its distortion is said to be inelastic.
The higher the spring constant, the stiffer the spring. The spring constant is different for different elastic objects. For a given spring and other elastic objects, the extension is directly proportional to the force applied. For example, if the force is doubled, the extension doubles. This works until the limit of proportionality is exceeded.
When an elastic object is stretched beyond its limit of proportionality, the object does not return to its original length when the force is removed. In this instance, the relationship between force and extension changes from being linear, or directly proportional, to being non-linear.
Non-linear extension occurs more in some materials than others. Materials like clay or putty usually show non-linear extension.
Force-extension graphs
Linear extension and elastic distortion can be seen below the limit of proportionality.
Non-linear extension and inelastic distortion can be seen above the limit of proportionality. The limit of proportionality is also described as the elastic limit. The gradient of a force-extension graph before the limit of proportionality is equal to the spring constant.
Changes of shape
When a force acts on an object, the object may change shape by bending, stretching or compressing - or a combination of all three shape changes. However, to change the shape of a stationary object there must be more than one force acting to do the following.
Bend an object's ends past each other - eg when an archer pulls an arrow back against a bow.
-