A cylindrical specimen of material with diameter 1.5x10^-4 has a breaking stress of 1.3GPa. Calculate the tensile force acting on the specimen at breaking point.

We first need to remember that stress is force over area. We can calculate the area using the diameter as the specimen is told to be cylindrical (circular cross-section). The area can be calculated using 0.25 x pi x d^2 where d=1.5x10-4, the answer is 1.767x10^-8. Now we can re-arrange the formula for stress to make force the subject: this gives force equals stress multiplied by area. The stress at breaking is given so the answer is achieved by multiplying 1.767x10^-8 by 1.3 GPa (1.3x10^9) giving roughly 23N.

RM

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

When a particle travels in a circle of radius r, at constant speed v, what is its acceleration


The braking distance of a road train travelling at 15m/s is 70m. Assuming that the same braking force is applied at all speeds, show that the braking distance of a road train when travelling at 25m/s is about 190m.


An ice cube with a small iron ball in its centre is placed in a cup of water. 3.9 x 10-3kg of water in the cup is displaced and the volume of the ice cube is 4.0 x 10-6m3. Ice density: 1000 kg m-3 Iron density: 7800 kg m-3, what is the volume of the iron?


Outline the principal features of a geostationary orbit and use them to explain one use of satellites in this type of orbit.