Stress and strain: past paper questions

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• Question 21Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  A wire has an unstretched length of $2.00\text{ m}$. A stress of $1.6\times {10}^5\text{ Pa}$ is applied to the wire, and the new length of the wire is $2.10\text{ m}$. The wire obeys Hooke's law.

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An elastic cord of unstretched total length $16.0\text{ cm}$ and cross-sectional area $2.0\times {10}^{-6}{\text{ m}}^2$ is held horizontally by two smooth pins a distance $8.0\text{ cm}$ apart. The cord obeys Hooke's law.

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• Question 2May/June 2026, paper 23Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  Define the Young modulus of a material.

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• Question 22Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What are the SI base units of stress?

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• Question 19Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is a unit for stress?

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• Question 2Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured16 marksHas a diagram

  A hot-air balloon floats just above the ground. The balloon is stationary and is held in place by a vertical rope, as shown in Fig. 2.1. The balloon has a weight $W$ of $3.39\times {10}^4\text{ N}$.

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  A wire has length $L$ and cross-sectional area $A$. The wire is made from a metal that has Young modulus $E$ and resistivity $\rho$. Define the Young modulus of a material.

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• Question 20Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The graph shows the relationship between stress and strain for three wires of the same linear dimensions but made from different materials. Which statements are correct?

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 4.1 shows the variation with extension $x$ of the tensile force $F$ for two wires, G and H, made from the same material. The elastic limit has not been exceeded for G or H. For the lines in Fig. 4.1: state what is represented by the gradient

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• Question 21Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Four solid steel rods equally support an object weighing $10\text{ kN}$. Each rod is of length $2.0\text{ m}$ and cross-sectional area $250{\text{ mm}}^2$. The weight of the object causes the rods to contract by $0.10\text{ mm}$.

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• Question 4May/June 2023, paper 22Structured5 marksHas a diagram

  A spring is suspended from a fixed point at one end. The spring is extended by a vertical force applied to the other end. The variation of the applied force $F$ with the length $L$ of the spring is shown in Fig. 4.1.

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• Question 21May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A student has a copper wire and a steel wire with equal lengths and cross-sectional areas. The student hangs identical loads on the two wires. The extensions of the two wires are different.

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• Question 6May/June 2023, paper 23Structured5 marksHas a diagram

  Define the Young modulus.

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• Question 23May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which phrase describes the strain at the elastic limit on a stress–strain graph?

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• Question 3Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  The variation of stress with strain for a metal P is shown in Fig. 3.1. Point E is the elastic limit of the metal. Use Fig. 3.1 to determine the Young modulus for P. Young modulus = ....................................................

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• Question 20May/June 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  What are the units of stress, strain and the Young modulus?

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 23Structured7 marksHas a diagram

  Define: stress

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• Question 21May/June 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The force–extension graph for a metal wire is shown. Which quantity is represented by the area under the graph?

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• Question 22May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An experiment is carried out using a metal wire to investigate how it responds to a varying tensile force. The cross-sectional area of the wire is constant. Which graph has a gradient that is equal to the Young modulus of the metal?

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• Question 19May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two wires, P and Q, made of the same material, are stretched with an increasing force.

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• Question 23May/June 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A wire of length $L$ is stretched to determine its limit of proportionality.

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• Question 20May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An extension–force graph for a spring is shown. What is the spring constant of the spring?

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• Question 19May/June 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two wires, one made of brass and the other of steel, are stretched in an experiment. Both wires obey Hooke’s law during this experiment. The Young modulus for brass is less than the Young modulus for steel.

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• Question 2May/June 2025, paper 23Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Define the moment of a force about a pivot.

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• Question 4May/June 2024, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Define strain.

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• Question 3May/June 2024, paper 22Structured11 marksHas a diagram

  Lightning occurs when charge builds up in the atmosphere, creating a potential difference between the ground and the atmosphere. During a lightning strike there is an average current of $3.3\times {10}^4\text{ A}$ for a time of $2.6\times {10}^{-5}\text{ s}$.

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• Question 3May/June 2024, paper 23Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  State Hooke’s law.

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