Cambridge International AS Level Physics

Answers to self-assessment questions

Answers to SAQs
Chapter 7

8 Metals from stiffest to least stiff:

Metal
3

1 Volume of cube = 3.0 3.0 3.0 = 27cm

mass = 240 = 8.89gcm3 = 8890kgm3
Density = volume
27

Most stiff steel

4 Estimate weight=600N,
area of feet=500cm2=0.05m2
600 = 12kPa.
So pressure p = AF = 0.05
5 Pressure at depth 0.8m is
p = gh1 =10009.810.8 = 7.85103Pa
Pressure at depth 2.4m is
p = gh2 =10009.812.4 = 2.35104Pa
Maximum total pressure, p = patm + pwater
= 1.01 105 + 2.35 104 = 1.25105Pa
p

130

brass

90110

aluminium

70

tin

50
18

9 Stiffest non-metal is glass (Young modulus

= 7080GPa).
10

For material A, Young modulus

6

10
15 10
EA = stress
strain = = 0.001 = 1.5 10 Pa = 1.5GPa
For material B, Young modulus,
6

9
12 10
EB = stress
strain = = 0.0024 = 5.0 10 Pa = 5.0GPa

11

force
Stress = cross-sectional
area

8
50
6 = 1.010 Pa
0.510

(remember that 0.5mm2 = 0.5 106m)

extension = 0.1
Strain = original
length 200.0
= 5.0104 (0.05%)

7 a
Spring D has the greatest value of force
constant (the graph has the steepest
gradient).
b Spring A is the least stiff (it extends the most
for each unit of force applied).
c Spring C does not obey Hookes law there is
no section of the graph that forms a straight
line.

copper

Least stiff lead

6 Rearrange p = gh to give height

1.0110 = 7980m 8000m.
h = g = 1.29
9.81
This figure is too small because it assumes
the density of the air is constant. In fact,
density decreases with height.

210

iron (wrought) 200

2 Volume of sphere
V = 43 r3 = 43 (0.15)3 = 0.0141m3
mass so
Rearrange density = volume
mass = density volume
= 7850 0.0141 = 111kg
80
3 Pressure, p = AF = 40.0010
= 20kPa

Young modulus/GPa

1.0 10

Young modulus = stress

strain = 5.0 104

= 2.01011Pa
12

Young modulus, E = stress

strain
Rearrange so strain = Youngstress
modulus
Then insert formulae for stress and strain
x
F
L = AE
2
and cross-sectional area, A = d
4
4FL

This gives extension = d 2 E

13

4 10 1.00

= (0.001)2 130 109

= 9.796105m
9.8105m
4F

force
Stress = cross-sectional
area = d 2
4 1.00
= (0.0004)2 = 8.0106Pa

extension = 0.001
Strain = original
length 0.800

= 1.25103 (at most)

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014

Cambridge International AS Level Physics

Answers to self-assessment questions

8.0 10

Young modulus = stress

strain = 1.25 103
9
= 6.410 Pa (but could be more, because
extension may be less than 1mm).
14

150 10

a Young modulus = stress
strain = 0.003 = 50GPa,
breaking stress = 150MPa
6
100 10
=
= 100GPa,
b Young modulus = stress
strain
0.001
breaking stress = 130MPa
Note that the Young modulus is only found
for the straight portion of the stressstrain
graph.
6
100 10
c Young modulus = stress
=
= 25GPa,
strain
0.004
breaking stress = 100MPa

15

Elastic potential energy,

E = 12 Fx = 12 120.18 = 1.08J 1.1J
The rubber band is assumed to obey Hookes
law; hence the answer is an estimate.

16

Elastic potential energy, E = 12 Fx = 12 kx2

= 12 4800(0.0020)2 = 9.6103J

17

a A has greater stiffness (less extension per unit
force).
b A requires greater force to break (line
continues to higher force value).
c B requires greater amount of work done to
break (larger area under graph).

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014