MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

1. Explain the difference between tensile stress and compressive stress. Make use of diagrams to illustrate your answer. 2. Calculate the stress in a steel bar of square section, which has dimensions of 2,5 cm x 2,5 cm and a load of 25 000 N pulling on it. 3. The following graph shows a typical stress-strain curve for a metal.

Stress

A B
Deformation

D Strain a) What does deformation mean?

b)

Names the two types of deformation that can occur and explain their difference.

c) Describe the material curve A represent.

d)

Curve B represents a material that does not undergo much deformation. Give an example of a material for curve B. Explain the properties of the material represented by curve C. Give an example of which material it could be. Curve D shows a high strain for low stress. This type of material will not go back to its original shape. What type of material is represented by curve D?

e)

f)

4. What is the difference between a ductile fracture and a brittle fracture? 5. When a material is chosen for use in a particular application, it is important to ensure that it has the correct mechanical properties. Different methods can be used to control the mechanical properties of a material. Name any three methods and explain each briefly.

SOLUTIONS
1. Tensile stress is the stress which indicates how strongly a material is pulled apart. Compressive stress indicates how much effort is applied to compact a material into a lesser volume.
t n ile es
c m es e o p si r v

2.

Area = L x B = 2,5 x 2,5 = 6,25 cm2 = 6,25 x 10-4 m2 = load area = 25 000 6,25 x 10-4 = 4 x 107 Pa

3. a) Deformation means a change in shape as a result of an applied force. b) Elastic deformation and plastic deformation. Elastic deformation is a temporary change in shape. When the force is no longer applied the material will go back to its original shape. Plastic deformation occurs when the material has been deformed beyond its elastic limit. Curve A shows a strong material because there is little strain for high stress. This material is brittle with no deformation where fracture will be sudden. d) Curve B represents a material such as steel wires.
c)

e) Curve C shows a ductile material. Initially the stress and the strain are proportional, thereafter plastic deformation takes place. A typical material represented by curve C is copper wire. f) Curve D shows the behaviour of a plastic material.

4. In ductile fracture - plastic deformation happens after the elastic limit has been reached. In brittle fracture - no plastic deformation occurs before failure. 5. Cold working is the process in which a material is deformed plastically at low to moderate temperatures. Cold working increases the hardness, tensile strength and electrical resistance of the material, but decreases its ductility. Annealing is the process in which a material is heated strongly and allowed to cool very slowly. Annealing improves ductility and lessens the possibility of failure when the material is worked into shape. Tempering is the process that can be used to increase the toughness of a metal such as steel. Tempering steel soften the steel slightly, makes it less brittle, tougher and more springy. Alloying an Alloy is a combination of two or more elements, at least one of which must be a metal. Mixing elements together changes the mechanical properties of the a material and therefore becoming more useful than those of the components. Sintering is the process in which metal or ceramic products are made by first using chemical or mechanical means to produce a powder of the material. When the powder is compacted into the desired shape and heated to a temperature below the normal melting point for up to three hours, the particles join together to make a solid object.