Class 11 Physics simulations · Mechanical Properties of Solids

Poisson’s ratio: stretch and thin

Stretch a wire and watch it get thinner. The lateral strain is a fixed fraction of the longitudinal strain.

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What to notice

With σ = 0.5 the volume is unchanged (like rubber); most metals have σ ≈ 0.3.

Key relation

σ = −(Δd/d) / (ΔL/L), ΔV/V = ε(1 − 2σ)

Try this

Set σ = 0.5. What happens to the volume change?

What you can change

• Tension F: 0 to 2000 N
• Wire diameter: 0.5 to 3 mm
• Young’s modulus: 50 to 210 GPa
• Poisson’s ratio σ: 0 to 0.5

More in Mechanical Properties of Solids

• Compression and bulk modulus
• Elastic energy stored in a wire
• Stretching a spring
• Shear deformation
• Springs in series and parallel
• Stress–strain curve
• Thermal stress in a clamped rod
• Young’s modulus

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