Griffith School of engineering and Built Environment
2101ENG-Mechanics of Materials I
Student Number: S5320096
Student Name: Meet Patel
Experiment 1: – Stress and Strain in a Plastic Strap
Aim of the experiment:
a. To determine the strain that results from hanging a weight from a plastic strap using a
strain gauge.
b. To figure out the axial stress.
b. To measure the plastic's Young's modulus.
1.1 Calculated Stress-Strain
Mass Force Out of balance Voltage V0 Strain Strain Stress ( MPa)
(N) (Mass (Mass σ= F/A
(Kg) Adding Removing Adding ) Removing)
0.0 0 0.4 x 10-5 2.1 x 10-5 0.00000304 0.000016 0
0.5 4.9 3 x 10-5 5.2 x 10-5 0.00002285 0.0000397 0.1
1.0 9.8 6.2 x 10-5 7.9 x 10-5 0.00004723 0.0000601 0.2
1.5 14.7 10.6 x 10-5 11.6 x 10-5 0.00008076 0.0000883 0.3
2.0 19.6 15.1 x 10-5 15.3 x 10-5 0.00011504 0.0001165 0.4
Graph of adding and removing:
Dimension of the strap: 36.5mm, length of the strap: 1364mm, thickness of the strap:
1.73mm
Discrepancy in the result:
Human Errors: Inaccuracies in the experiment's operation, such as miscalibrating instruments,
misinterpreting measurements, or entering data incorrectly, could cause the results. The delicate
structure of the entire arrangement could have led to variations in the voltage measurement while
adding and withdrawing mass.
Random Errors: These are unpredictable differences in measurements caused by a variety of
uncontrolled circumstances, such as changes in the surrounding conditions (heat, humidity) or
variations in the electrical output of the strain gauge. Statistical analysis and several trials help
reduce these mistakes, which usually impact individual measurements at random.
Strain Gauge connection: An uneven distribution of strain may result from a poor strain gauge
connection to the strap's surface. This may have an impact on the strain measurements' accuracy. In
order to prevent creases or air bubbles between the gauge and the strap, make sure that they
adhere properly.
Precision tool errors: We utilised a digital vernier calliper to measure the strip's dimensions since
human error or faults in the precision instruments may have happened during the measurement
process.
Explanation of Tensile Strain:
The amount that a material stretches or elongates in response to tensile (pulling) forces is known as
tensile strain. Tensile strain is the result of a material stretching in the direction of an applied force
when it is under tension, as in the case of a weight hanging from a plastic strap.
Conclusion: From the experiment I Got a Young's Modulus value of 3.7 GPa. The material's Young's
modulus of 3.7 GPa indicates that it is not stiff as many metals. I assume that material might be
polystyrene plastic.
Experiment 3: – Young’s Modulus of a Wire
Calculation:
Length of the wire: 2070 mm, radius of the pulley r= 0.4 mm, the length of the pointer from the
centre of pulley R = 154 mm , Cross-sectional area of the wire A= 00.1017 mm2
Pointer Deflection , D (mm) Strain Strain Strain Stress
Mass Force (MPa)
Added
Adding Removing Average
0.0 0 0 1.5 0.75 0 0.00006 0.00003 0
0.5 4.9 6.5 9.0 7.75 0.00029 0.00040 0.00035 44.54
1.0 9.8 12.5 15.5 14.0 0.00056 0.00070 0.00063 89.09
1.5 14.7 19.0 21.5 20.25 0.00086 0.00097 0.00092 133.63
2.0 19.6 25.5 26.5 26.0 0.00115 0.00120 0.00118 178.18
2.5 24.5 32.5 32.5 32.5 0.00147 0.00147 0.00147 222.72
Why discrepancy occurred:
Temperature: The experiment's outcomes observed could have been impacted by the laboratory's
temperature during its execution. The influence of temperature on stress. The opposite relationship
between temperature change and E is visible
Observation error in pulley radius value: The inaccuracy in calculating the pulley's radius might be
the primary cause of the discrepancy. The pulley's radius can be readily misjudged from the outside,
but since the wire really travels within the pulley, it is challenging to measure the exact radius
precisely using calliper.
Errors in the precision tool or measuring process: Human error or mistakes in the precision tool may
have happened during measuring the wire's dimensions.
We measured the wire's size using a digital vernier calliper and a measuring tape.
Dimensions are utilised in the Area computation, which yields the Stress, a = F/A. Area is inversely
proportionate to E according to the equation E = σ/ε.
Conclusion:
we got E= 177.5 GPa Instead of the Value of 200 GPa.
