Cambridge GCE O Level Physics 5054

Chapter # Deformation

Revision Notes

Prepared by Atif Naseem

BSc Electrical Communication Engineering UET Peshawar
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Prepared by Atif Naseem

O Level Physics Teacher BloomFieldHall School Peshawar
Chapter contents
• Deformation
• Elasticity and Plasticity
• Hookes Law
• Spring constant
• Combination of springs
• Graphs
o F-x graphs (force - extension)
o x-F graphs (extension – force)
o F-xf graphs (force- final length)
o xf-F graphs (final length- force)

Deformation
• the process of change in shape or size with the effect of a force is called deformation
• the force is called deformative force
• deformation may be temporary or permanent
• a body may be twisted bend expand compress

Elasticity
• the property of resistance provided to deformative force is called elasticity of the body
• it is a material dependent property
• as steel provide more resistance than rubber so steel is more elastic than rubber

• the property of regaining the original shape and size when the deformative force is removed
is also called elasticity
• every body as an elastic limit
• the limit within which it can regain its own shape is called elastic limit

Plasticity
• the property of stretching is called plasticity
• as rubber can show more stretchiness than steel for same deformative force so rubber is
more plastic than steel.
• In short plasticity means easily stretchable.
• So it also means that material whose spring constant is very low

Hookes Law
• The extension (change in length) produced in an elastic material is directly proportional to
the force applied within the limit of proportionality

Prepared by Atif Naseem

O Level Physics Teacher BloomFieldHall School Peshawar
 • Direct prop means the graphs of force and extension must be a straight line and must pass
thought (0,0) point. The (0,0) means that when force is zero extension is also zero which is
the integral part of every direct prop.
• It is our choice that we graph force with extension or extension with force. But the
steepness or gradient of both the graphs are different

• F = Kx
• Where K is the constant of prop called spring constant

Limit of Prop
• It is the limit of force till where the prop holds
• It is the limit till where the F-x graph is a straight line and after which it is a curve
• It is the limit till where hookes law is obeyed and after which it is not
• It is the limit where F = Kx holds and after which is not
• It is the limit where f to x ratio is always constant and after it is not
• Limit of prop is a value of force

Spring Constant
• It is a material dependent constant
• It tells us about the stiffness of a spring
• K = F/x
• Its SI unit is N / m
• It tells us that the spring is easy or hard to stretch
• 20 N / m means that 20 N force is required for 1 m extension
• It is related inversely with length of the spring and directly with diameter of the spring

Combination of Springs
• We can connect springs in series and in parallel
• In series the spring constant decreases and extension increases
• In parallel the spring constant increases and the extension decreases
• Remember that for equal force extension is inversely related with spring constant
• If spring constant is halved the extension should be double

Prepared by Atif Naseem

O Level Physics Teacher BloomFieldHall School Peshawar
 • If spring constant become double then extension should be halved

Graphs

Force-extension Graphs
• Y axis represents force
• X axis represents extension
• The graph should pass from origin to insure the hookes law
• The gradient represents the value of spring constant
• You can find the value of Force for a particular extension
• You can find the value of extension for a particular value of force
• You can find k by finding the gradient
• You can compare you graphs. The line near to extension axis means less steepness means
less k value means easier to stretched and the line near to force axis means greater
steepness means high k value means harder to stretched

Extension – Force Graphs

• Y axis represents extension
• X axis represents force
• The graph should pass from origin to insure the hookes law
• The gradient represents reciprocal of spring constant (1/K)
• You can find the value of Force for a particular extension
• You can find the value of extension for a particular value of force
• You can find k by finding the gradient and taking reciprocal
• You can compare you graphs. The line near to extension axis means easier to stretched and
the line near to force axis means harder to stretched

Prepared by Atif Naseem

O Level Physics Teacher BloomFieldHall School Peshawar
Comparasion
• The graph near to extension axes is easier to stretch and less force is required to produce
the same extension
• The graph near to force axes is harder to stretch and greater force is required to produce the
same extension

• For same value of x material 1 needs more force than material 2

• For same value of Force material 1 shows less extension as material 2

Important Points
• For a material that obeys hookes law, f to x ratio should be equal to K
• Spring constant decreases and extension increase in series combination
• Spring constant increases and extension decrease in parallel combination

Prepared by Atif Naseem

O Level Physics Teacher BloomFieldHall School Peshawar
 • Within the limit the same force produce the same extension and out of the limit the same
force produce more extension which means that when limit is exceeded then the materials
become easier to stretch .

Prepared by Atif Naseem

O Level Physics Teacher BloomFieldHall School Peshawar