Stress-Strain Plot
Instructions
This simulation shows a graph of stress versus strain for an elastic material. Stretch the material by dragging the blue labeled point. The Young's modulus for the material can be adjusted using the slider. If you stretch the material too much, you will exceed its yield strength, causing permanent damage. The material will turn red if this happens. Change the Young's modulus to "fix" the material. Click the rest icon in the top right corner to cleanup the graph.
- Can you think of any other examples of things that permanently change length when stretched?
- Which is more "stretchy," a material with a large or small Young's modulus?
- An ideal spring produces a straight line on a stress-strain plot. How much can you stretch the material and still have it behave like an ideal spring? Does this answer depend on the value of Young's modulus?