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All 4 Flashcards — Young's modulus
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Question
What is Young's modulus?
Answer
The gradient of the elastic line on a stress-strain graph — stress divided by strain. It measures stiffness: how little a material deflects under load.
Question
Name three products that need a LOW Young's modulus.
Answer
A door seal that fills a varying gap and recovers; a snap-fit catch that bends to click and springs back; a suspension bush or grip that absorbs vibration.
Question
Why does geometry usually beat material for stiffness?
Answer
Steel is about three times stiffer than aluminium, while doubling a beam's depth is worth roughly eight times — so changing the section is almost always cheaper and lighter.
Question
What happens when a stiff part is joined to a soft one?
Answer
Load follows stiffness, so the stiff part carries almost all of it — which is how a metal insert ends up taking the entire load in a plastic housing.
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Structural systems
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