A vertical steel cable of length 45.0 m and density 7850 kg/m³ is fixed at its upper end
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A vertical steel cable of length 45.0 m and density 7850 kg/m³ is fixed at its upper end. A worker strikes the lower free end with a hammer, and a sensor at the top detects the arrival of the longitudinal pulse 8.20 ms after the impact.
Answer the following:
(i) Find the speed of the longitudinal pulse in the cable.
(ii) Determine the Young’s modulus of the steel from this measurement.
(iii) Briefly explain how neglecting the tension in the cable might influence the value of Young’s modulus obtained.