Chapter 4
PROPERTIES OF MATTER
Learning objective: After going through this chapter, students will be able to;
- understand elasticity, deforming force, restoring force etc.
- define stress, strain, Hook’s law, modulus of elasticity, pressure etc..
- describe surface tension, viscosity and effect of temperature on these.
- understand fluid motion and nature of flow.
5.1 DEFINITION OF ELASTICITY, DEFORMING FORCE, RESTORING FORCE,
EXAMPLE OF ELASTIC AND PLASTIC BODY
Elasticity: It is the property of body by virtue, to return to their original shape and size after
the forces deforming them have been removed.
Deforming Forces: The forces which bring the change in configuration of the body are
called deforming forces.
Restoring Force: It is a force exerted on a body or a system that tends to move it towards an
equilibrium state.
Elastic Body: It is the body that returns to its original shape after a deformation. Examples
are Golf ball, Soccer ball, Rubber band etc.
Plastic Body: It is the body that do not return to its original shape after a deformation.
Examples are Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS) and Polyvinyl
Chloride (PVC).
5.2 DEFINITION OF STRESS AND STRAIN WITH THEIR TYPES
Stress:It is defined as the restoring force per unit area of a material. Stress is of two types:
1. Normal Stress: If deforming force acts normal to the surface of the body then the
stress is normal stress.
2. Tangential Stress: If deforming force acts tangentially to the surface of the body
then the stress is tangential stress.
Strain: It is defined as the ratio of change in configuration to the original configuration, when a
deforming force is applied to a body. The strain is of three types:
(i) Longitudinal strain:
If the deforming force produces a change in length only, the strain produced is called
longitudinal strain or tensile strain. i.e. the ratio of change in length to the original length.
Change∈length(∆ l)
Longitudinal strain=
originallength (l)
(ii) Volumetric strain: It is defined as the ratio of the change in volume to the original volume.
Change∈volume (∆ v)
Volumetric strain=
original volume(v )
(iii) Shearing strain:
It is defined as the ratio of lateral displacement of a surface under the tangential force to the
perpendicular distance between surfaces
Lateral Displacement
Shearing strain=
Distance between surfaces
∆L
¿ =tan Ф
L
Figure: 5.1
The shearing strain is also defined as the angle in radian through which a plane perpendicular to the fixed
surface of a rectangular block gets turned under the effect to tangential force.
Units of strain:
Strain is a ratio of two similar physical quantities, it has no units and dimensions.
5.3 HOOK’S LAW, MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
Hook’s law: Within elastic limits, the stress and strain are proportional to each other.
Thus, Stress ∝ Strain
Stress = E × Strain
Where E is the proportionality constant and is known as modulus of elasticity.
Modulus of Elasticity: The ratio of stress and strain is called modulus of elasticity.
Young’s Modulus(Y): The ratio of normal stress to the longitudinal strain is defined as
Young’s modulus and is denoted by the symbol Y.
F/ A F ×l
Y= =
Δl/l A × Δl
Strain is a dimensionless quantity, the unit of Young’s modulus is the same as that of stress
i.e., Nm–2 or Pascal (Pa)
Bulk Modulus (B): The ratio of normal (hydraulic) stress to the volumetric strain is called
bulk modulus. It is denoted by symbol B.
F/A F ×V
B= =
ΔV /V A × ΔV
The unit of bulk modulus is the same as that of pressure i.e., Nm–2or Pa
Shear Modulus or Modulus of rigidity (η ): The ratio of shearing stress to the corresponding
shearing strain is called the shear modulus of the material and is represented by η . It is also
called the modulus of rigidity.
η = Tangential stress /Shear strain
F/ A F×L
η= =
ΔL/ L A × ΔL
SI unit of shear modulus is Nm–2or Pa.
5.4 PRESSURE AND PASCALS LAW
Pressure: It is defined as the force per unit area over the surface of a body.
F
P= A
SI unit is Nm–2or Pa
5.5 SURFACE TENSION AND EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON SURFACE
TENSION
Surface Tension:
The property of a liquid due to which its free surface behaves like stretched
membrane and acquires minimum surface area. It is given by force per unit length.
F
T=
l
therefore, surface tension of a liquid is measured as the force acting
on unit length of and imaginary line drawn tangentially on the free
surface of liquid at rest. SI unit is N/m.
Applications of surface tension
It plays an important role in many applications in our daily life.
Washing clothes Figure: 5.2
Cleaning
Cosmetics
Lubricants in machines
Spreading of ink, colours
Wetting of a surface
Action of surfactants
Paints, insecticides
Creating fuel-spray in automobile engines
Passing of liquid in porous media
Effect of Temperature on Surface Tension
In general, surface tension decreases when temperature increases and vice versa.
This is because cohesive forces decrease with an increase of molecular thermal activity. The
effect of the surrounding environment on the surface of liquid is due to the adhesive force of
action of liquid molecules at the interface.
5.6 VISCOSITY AND EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON VISCOSITY
Viscosity: The property of liquid due to which it oppose the relative motion between the
layers of fluid. It is also known as liquid friction.
SI unit of viscosity is Pascal-second (Pa.s) and CGS unit is Poise.
Effect of Temperature on Viscosity
As the temperature rises, viscosity of liquid decreases. whereas viscosity of gases increases
with in temperature, this is because of gases is due to the molecular motion which increases
on increases in temperature.
In gases, due to the lack of cohesion, the source of viscosity is the collision of
molecules. Here, As the temperature increases the viscosity increases and vice versa. This is
because the gas molecules utilize the given thermal energy in increasing its kinetic energy
that makes them random and therefore resulting in more the number of collisions.
5.7 FLUID MOTION, STREAM LINE AND TURBULENT FLOW
Fluid Motion: A liquid in motion is called fluid. There are two types of fluid motions;
streamline and turbulent.
Streamline Flow: Flow of a fluid in which its
velocity at any point of given cross section is
same. It is also called laminar flow.
Turbulent flow: It is type of fluid (gas or
liquid) flow in which the speed of the fluid at
given cross section is continuously undergoing
changes in both magnitude and direction.
Figure: 5.3
