Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

|

Elastic & Plastic Behaviour (CIE A Level Physics)

Exam Questions

2 hours34 questions
1
Sme Calculator
1 mark

A student experimented on a metal wire; the graph below was plotted.

cie-ial-physics-mcq-6-2-q1

The area under the graph shows the total strain energy stored in the wire when stretched.

 How should the axes be labelled?

 

 

Y

X

A

B

C

D

mass

force

strain

stress

extension

extension

energy

strain

 

    Did this page help you?

    2
    Sme Calculator
    1 mark

    Four rods were made from four different materials; all the rods had the same dimensions.

     At room temperature, which of the following would sustain the biggest plastic deformation?

    • the ductile material steel

    • the brittle material glass

    • the brittle material carbon

    • the ductile material aluminium

    Did this page help you?

    3
    Sme Calculator
    1 mark

    A student drew a force-extension graph for a sample of metal. She subjected the sample to a force that increased to a maximum then decreased to zero.

    cie-ial-images272png

    When the sample contracts it follows the same force-extension curve as when it was being stretched.

     What is the behaviour of the metal between S and T?

    • both elastic and plastic

    • elastic but not plastic 

    • not elastic and not plastic  

    • plastic but not elastic

    Did this page help you?

    4
    Sme Calculator
    1 mark

    Graphs of the stress-strain for four different materials are shown below.

     Which one shows the correct graph for a ductile metal ?

    cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-e-q4-answer

    cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-e-q4-answer1

      Did this page help you?

      5
      Sme Calculator
      1 mark

      A weight was attached to the lower end of a length of rubber. The rubber was hung from a solid support. The weight was gradually increased from zero then gradually reduced to zero.

      cie-ial-images278png

      The graph shows the force-extension curve for contraction (below) and the force-extension curve for stretching.

       What does the shaded area between the curves represent?

      • the amount of elastic energy stored in the rubber

      • the work done by the rubber cord during contraction

      • the work done on the rubber cord during stretching

      • the amount of thermal energy dissipated in the rubber 

      Did this page help you?

      6
      Sme Calculator
      1 mark

      The graphs below are force-extension graphs, which one is a rubber band this is stretched almost to its breaking point ?

      cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-e-q6-answer

      cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-e-q6-answer1

        Did this page help you?

        7
        Sme Calculator
        1 mark

        A metal wire had a tension F and extension x with a Young modulus of E; the wire obeyed Hooke’s law

         Which expression represents the elastic strain energy stored in the wire?

        • fraction numerator 1 over denominator 2 space end fraction F x

        • E x

        • 1 half E x

        • F x

        Did this page help you?

        8
        Sme Calculator
        1 mark

        Which of the following is the correct definition for elastic and plastic behaviour?

         

         

        Elastic behaviour of a material

        Plastic behaviour of a material

        A

        B

        C

        D

        returns to its original shape and size

        obeys Hooke’s Law

        has a linear force-extension curve

        extends only within the limit of proportionality

        suffers permanent deformation

        extends continuously under a steady load

        has a horizontal force-extension curve

        extends beyond the limit of proportionality

          Did this page help you?

          9
          Sme Calculator
          1 mark

          The graphs below all show force-extension graphs; they are all drawn to the same scale.

           Which graph shows the object that has been deformed and has the greatest amount of elastic potential energy ?

          cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-e-q9-answer

          cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-e-q9-answer1

            Did this page help you?

            10
            Sme Calculator
            1 mark

            A spring is extended with varying forces; the graph below shows the results.

            cie-ial-images287png

            What is the energy stored in the spring when the extension is 30 mm?

            • 0.25 J

            • 0.95 J

            • 0.095 J 

            • 0.19 J 

            Did this page help you?

            1
            Sme Calculator
            1 mark

            A student was investigating the extension in a long thin metal wire. They suspended the wire from a fixed support, and hung it vertically then hung masses from the lower end.

             The load was increased and decreased from zero to the maximum and back again.

             The graph shows the force-extension of the wire.

            cie-ial-images290png

            Where on the graph would the elastic limit be found?

            • exactly at point Z

            • exactly at point Y

            • just beyond point Y

            • anywhere between point X and point Y

            Did this page help you?

            2
            Sme Calculator
            1 mark

            A rod is extended with a force so that its length increases. The variation with load L of the extension e of the rod is shown in the graph.

            cie-ial-images291png

            Point P is the elastic limit.

             Which shaded area represents the work done during the plastic deformation of the rod ?

            cie-ial-physics-images-6-2-m-q2-answer

              Did this page help you?

              3
              Sme Calculator
              1 mark

              A student was investigating a rubber band when stretched and relaxed to its original length. The graph shows the force-extension of the rubber band.

               cie-ial-images296png

              As the force is increased, the curve follows the path WXZ to extension x. As the force is reduced, the curve follows the path ZYW to return to zero extension.

               The area labelled S is between the curves WXZ and ZYW. The area labelled T is bounded by the curve ZYW and the horizontal axis.

               Which statement about the process is correct?

              • area S is the energy which heats the band as it is stretched to e

              • area S is the elastic potential energy stored in the band when it is stretched to e

              • (area S + area T) is the minimum energy required to stretch the band to e

              • area S is the energy which heats the band as it is stretched to e

              Did this page help you?

              4
              Sme Calculator
              1 mark

              A sample of metal was stretched until it started to go into plastic deformation. The graph below shows the behaviour of the metal.

              cie-ial-images297png

              When the sample was stretched from 0 to 12.0 mm extension, what is the work done? Assume that the curve SY is a straight line to simplify the calculation

              • 6.60 J

              • 3.60 J

              • 3.55 J

              • 3.30 J

              Did this page help you?

              5
              Sme Calculator
              1 mark

              A wire made from a new composite material was loaded with masses and the force-extension curve drawn.

              cie-ial-images298png

              What could be the value of the strain energy stored in the wire when it is stretched elastically to point Z ?

              • 0.20 J

              • 0.11 J

              • 0.10 J

              • 0.09 J

              Did this page help you?

              6
              Sme Calculator
              1 mark

              A student was investigating a spring with a spring constant k of 3.0 N cm−1, the spring was stretched over a range in which elastic deformation occurred.

              Which row, for the stated applied force, gives the correct extension and strain energy?

               

               

              Forc
              / N

              Extension
              / cm

              Strain energy
              / mJ

              A

              B

              C

              D

              24.0

              12.0

              6.0

              3.0

              8.0

              3.0

              2.0

              1.0

              960

              200

              120

              1.5

                Did this page help you?

                7
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A force compresses a mattress spring by 100 mm. The graph shows the effect of the force F on the length l of the spring.

                cie-ial-images301png

                What is the energy stored in the spring when the length is 70 mm?

                • 0.63 J

                • 0.27 J

                • 0.21 J

                • 0.090 J

                Did this page help you?

                8
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A spring is extended due to a force. The graph shows the effect of changing force on the extension of the spring.

                cie-ial-images303png

                What is the elastic potential energy of the spring with a force of 8.0 N ?

                • 152 mJ

                • 58 J

                • 85 mJ

                • 5.8 mJ

                Did this page help you?

                9
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A force of 2.0 N is applied to a spring of unextended length 0.50 m and has a new length of 0.90 m.

                 A graph shows the variation of its length with tension.

                cie-ial-images305png

                How much strain energy is stored in the spring ?

                • 1.8 J

                • 0.90 J

                • 0.40 J

                • 0.80 J

                Did this page help you?

                10
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A student carried out an experiment on a ductile material; stretching it with a tensile force beyond its elastic limit. The force is removed.

                cie-ial-images306png

                 The graph shows the force-extension of this experiment.

                Which area represents the net work done on the sample?

                • T

                • S + T

                • Q + S

                • Q

                Did this page help you?

                1
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A wire undergoes elastic deformation; the graph below shows the load-extension graph.

                 cie-ial-images307png

                How much work is done on the wire to increase the extension from 10 mm to 20 mm?

                • 0.18 J

                • 0.28 J

                • 0.37 J

                • 0.59 J

                Did this page help you?

                2
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A material with elastic properties that obeys Hooke’s law has a Young modulus E and has a tensile stress of S applied.

                 What is the expression for the elastic energy stored per unit volume of the material?

                • fraction numerator E over denominator 2 s squared end fraction

                • S squared over E

                • fraction numerator S squared over denominator 2 E end fraction

                • fraction numerator 2 E over denominator S squared end fraction

                Did this page help you?

                3
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                A graph was drawn of the effect on the length of applying a force to a rubber cord.

                cie-ial-images308png

                What is the maximum strain energy in this deformed rubber cord?

                • 200 J

                • 5.1 J

                • 2.5 J

                • 1.9 J

                Did this page help you?

                4
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                The graph below shows how force changes the extension of a spring.

                cie-ial-images311png

                The length of the spring with no force applied was 1 cm.

                 What is the increase in the strain energy stored in the spring when its length is increased from 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm ?

                • 0.050 J 

                • 0.040 J 

                • 0.030 J

                • 0.020 J

                Did this page help you?

                5
                Sme Calculator
                1 mark

                Two springs are attached to a rod, S1 and S2. ­A load is applied to the bottom of S1, and it extends by x with an elastic potential energy in the spring of E.

                 The same load is applied to the bottom of S2. The extension of S2 is x over 3 , as shown in the diagram

                cie-ial-images313png

                Which equation shows the elastic potential energy in S2?

                • 9 E

                • 3 E

                • E over 3

                • E over 9

                Did this page help you?