DAVID WHYTE

08513872

8 APRIL 2010

THE CORNU METHOD

ABSTRACT
By observing the interference pattern when monochromatic light is incident on a glass plate on a Perspex bar under bending stress, the radii of curvature in both directions were calculated. The obtained values were used to calculate Youngs modulus for Perspex: 2.2 0.1 GPa; and Poissons ratio for Perspex: 0.29 0.02.

THEORY & EQUATIONS

Stress is defined as the force per unit cross-sectional area applied to a material (F/A). When a stress is applied to any material, it responds by deforming in the direction of the force, i.e. its length L increases by some amount L. The quantity L/L is referred to as the axial strain. Youngs modulus is the ratio of the stress to the strain, given in pascals (Pa), and is a useful measure of how stiff a material is. The material may also respond to a stress by deforming in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the stress. The strain in this direction is called the transverse strain. The ratio of transverse strain to axial strain is called Poissons ratio. In this experiment, Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio were calculated for a Perspex bar.
F A

The force was provided by two 1 kg weights, causing the straight bar to be bend in one direction with radius of curvature R1 and in a perpendicular direction with radius of curvature R2. So the bar is deformed into a doubly-curved surface called a hyperbolic paraboloid. The equation describing such a surface is:

2
Hyperbolic paraboloid with contour lines of constant height drawn

for a surface which curves upwards along the x-axis and downwards along the y-axis.

DAVID WHYTE

08513872

8 APRIL 2010

Replacing z with the distance between the glass plate and the bar, d, and setting x = y = 0 gives a value to the constant and allows the equation to be written: 2 where d0 is the distance between the plate and the bar at x = y = 0. Constructive interference is seen when d is an integer multiple of the wavelength of the light, . For d = constant, the above equation describes sets of hyperbolae sharing two common asymptotes. At y = 0, the equation reduces to 2 and at x = 0, it becomes 2 . So by measuring the distances of the points where the fringes cross the x and y axes, the two radii of curvature can be calculated. The ratio R1/R2 can also be estimated by observing the angle between the asymptotes and the axis. Since the asymptotes are given by / , the angle / .
Two sets of hyperbolae with common asymptotes, i.e. the shape of the fringes

marked in the diagram is equal to arctan Equivalently, R1/R2 = cot .

The bending moment of a bar of cross-sectional area A is given by

, where Y is Youngs

modulus for the material and k is its radius of gyration (equal to /12 for a bar of rectangular cross-section with dimensions a and b). Balancing this with the moment of the weight applied gives: 12 Poissons ratio for a bar under a bending force is simply given by the ratio of the radii of curvature: R1/R2. So when the wavelength of the light is known and the distances of fringes are measured; the radii of curvature, and hence Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio, can be easily calculated.

DAVID WHYTE

08513872

8 APRIL 2010

If a convex lens is used (approximated as an elliptical paraboloid: z = kx2 + ky2, k > 0) in place of a glass plate, the interference fringes will take the form of concentric ellipses:

3d representation of the surfaces in contact

fringes generated by lens-bar combination

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

Travelling microscope Glass slide Perspex beam

Sodium lamp Glass plate

1 kg weight

Knife edges

The apparatus was set up as shown above. a and b were measured using a Vernier callipers. Using the travelling microscope, values of y for successive fringes were measured. The bar was then rotated by 90 so values of x could be measured. Using a protractor, the angle between the x-axis and the asymptote of the hyperbolic fringes was estimated. The glass plate was then replaced with a convex lens and the shape of the fringes was observed.

DAVID WHYTE

08513872

8 APRIL 2010

RESULTS & ANALYSIS

6

x2 (mm2)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

N
x2 was plotted against N and a linear fit was performed on the data. The value of the slope gives R1 = 0.68 0.04.
18

16

14

12

y2 (mm2)

10

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

N
y2 was plotted against N and a linear fit was again performed on the data, this time giving R2 = 2.29 0.08.

DAVID WHYTE

08513872

8 APRIL 2010

Using a value of 589 nm for the wavelength of sodium light, this gives the radii of curvature: R1 = 1.15 0.07 m, R2 = 3.89 0.08 m Using the protractor, the angle was approximated to be 60. When the glass plate is replaced with a convex lens, the fringes appear as concentric ellipses, as predicted by the theory.

CONCLUSIONS
Youngs modulus for Perspex was calculated using the determined value of R1: 12 12 1 9.81 0.138 1.15 0.3884 0.006 2.2 0.1 10 Pa

Poissons ratio for Perspex was calculated: 1.15 3.9 0.29 0.02

The value of read from the protractor gives cot2(60) = 1/3 These values are relatively close to values obtained from tables available online1: Y = 2.7 3.5 GPa = 0.3 0.4

http://www.roymech.co.uk/