Two Improved Methods for Determining Young’s Modulus Rave E. Green Richmond Professional Institute, Richmond, Virginia (Received August 19, 1957) Two methods are described for determining Young's modulus. The apparatus used n both cases utilizes a compensating device which eliminates the error caused by slippage or move ‘ment of the anchored end of the wire. The simplicity of the design of the apparatus deseribed is such that it may be constructed in any school shop at fraction of the cost of commercially available apparatus. HE apparatus most commonly used for ‘Young's modulus experiment consists of two massive upright steel posts between which the sample wire is suspended by a heavy yoke between the posts. The purpose of such a construction, of course, is to insure that the distance between the fixed end of the wire and the measuring device does not change as the load on the wire is varied. Unfortunately, the error caused by slippage of the wire at the clamped end is not always easily eliminated and can be quite troublesome when data are to be taken for more than one sample. ‘A compensating feature is incorporated in both sets of apparatus described in this article | s 4 ~| ry Fig, 1 Apparatusfordetermin- ing Young's modulus using 4 measuring magnifier. P, binding post; C, compensating’ rod; By Jeweler's eye loupe; , micro” Scope eyepiece reticle; M, scale ‘marker; and G, wire guide. which not only eliminates the error resulting from slippage but also makes a rigid support unnecessary. FIRST METHOD The apparatus is shown in Fig. 1. P is a clamping post, C is a compensating rod, E is a jeweler’s eye loupe, Sis a micrometer scale, Bf is a scale marker attached to the wire, and G is a wire guide. The wire is free to move vertically through the wire guide G. As weight is added, the wire stretches and the elongation of length L is read from scale S. It will be noted that any movement of the ceiling support or slippage of the wire loop will cause the upper end of the wire to move downward. However, since the clamping point P and scale S are rigidly con- nected, the scale will move downward an equal distance thus eliminating any error resulting from either of these causes, ‘The eye loupe and scale together form a measuring magnifier which can be purchased as a unit. However, the one used in our lab was made by gluing a standard microscope eye piece reticle to one end of a pasteboard tube and a jeweler’s 5X eve loupe to the other end of the tube. The scale of the reticle is 10 mm in length and is divided into 100 parts. When using this scale and a 0,074-cm diameter steel wire having an effective length L of 175m, a variation in loading of #kg will produce an incremental scale reading of 2 divisions. The total cost of the eye loupe and reticle was $4.70, The measuring magnifier should, of course, be detachable as a unit. ‘The length of the wire should be adjusted s0 that the bottom of the weight hanger is just out of contact with the floor. Since it is desirable to have the effective length L of the wire as long 258METHODS FOR DETERMINING YOUNG'S MODULUS 259 P ‘Ome ‘ © l te + Fic. 2. Apparatus for determining Young's ‘compensating rod on rollers plane; and 7, table top. as possible, the observer should sit close to the floor with the weight hanger between his feet. If the weights are carefully arranged beforehand, the observer should be able to add and remove weights without taking his eye from the eyepiece It should not be necessary for the student to stand on the table to adjust the wire. This can be avoided by using an open ceiling hook and also by providing sample wire cut to the right length with loops on each end. ‘The arrangement just described can also be used in the horizontal position by placing rollers under the compensating rod C and allowing it to rest on the table in the manner shown in Fig. 2. ‘The measuring magnifier would have to be supported by a stand resting on the compensating rod and occupying the position of the dial indi cator actually shown. Another possible variation is the use of Searle's apparatus to measure the elongation of the wire. This apparatus may be mounted on a platform attached to the lower end of the com pensating rod. Measurements to 0.02 mm are possible with this arrangement. SECOND METHOD A second method for determining Young's modulus which also utilizes the compensating principle just described is shown in Fig. 2. A Cowan type indicator commonly used in the temperature coefficient of expansion experiment is utilized to determine the change in length of J LJ ‘modulus using a Cowan linear expansion indicator, P, binding post; C, 15, linear expansion indicator; Af, meter stick; R, polished ring; B, weight support with 45° the wire sample. The dial indicator rests upon the compensator C so that any movement of the anchored end of the wire is not registered on the dial. Beam M is simply a meter stick clamped on one end to the wire at point Q and resting at its center on the indicator shaft, Its purpose is to transmit any relative movement of point Q on the wire to the indicator. The angle indicated is proportional to the change in length of the wire between points P and Q. ‘The troublesome effects of friction at the weight support were effectively eliminated by the use of a polished ring in contact with a smooth plane surface inclined at an angle of 45°. ‘The smooth surface was obtained by gluing a microscope slide to the plane. It is necessary, of course, for the angle of the plane to be 45° in order that the tension in the horizontal section of the wire may be equal to the weight suspended from its free end. A peg was placed on the under side of the base of block B to serve as a stop, ths making it unnecessary to clamp the block to the table. ‘This apparatus has been used for several years and has given very little trouble. Some care has to be used in setting the weights on the hanger; also jarring of the table must be avoided. ‘The inctemental indications of the dial can be made relatively large. An incremental dial read- ing of 10° can be obtained by a variation of load of + kg when using an 0.074-cm diameter steel wire 140 cm in length, “And suck in fact is the behavior of the specialist. In polities, in art, in social usages, in the other sciences, he will adopt the attitudes of primitive, ignorant man; but he will adopt them forcefully and with selfcuffciency, and will not admit of this is the paradox—specialsts in those matters. By specialising him, civilization has made his hermetic and self-satisfied within his Limitations; but this very inner feeling of dominance and wortk will induce him to wish to predominate outside his specialty The resul is thot even in this case, representing a maximums of qualification im man—zpecializtion—and therefore the thint ‘most opposed tothe macs-man, the result is that he will behove im almost all spheres of life as does the unqualified, the mass-mer, Jost OnrEca ¥ Gasser, The Barbarism of “Specialization.”