Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A steel wire () and a copper wire (), both long, hang side by side and hold up a bar carrying , so that both stretch by the same amount. Find the force and the stress in each, and the stretch. (: steel , copper .)
Wires end to end carry the same force, and their stretches add. Wires side by side share one stretch, and their forces add in proportion to . A clamped rod heated by carries a thermal stress , whatever its length.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Share. , so steel takes and copper .
Step 2. Stresses. and .
Step 3. Stretch. .
Answer: and ; and ; .
Check. The copper wire's stretch, , is also .
Watch out. The thicker copper wire still takes less load, because steel is so much stiffer.
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