How to Measure Squishiness?

[poof]

Hi, i wanted to know how you measure the squishiness of something, like a small piece of rubber. Is there some sort of tool that does this?

 

[cragar]

Maybe you can use Hookes law F=-kx. use a spring and push on the material and see how much force was required to compress the material a certain distance.

 

[pantaz]

The http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shore_durometer" scale is the most common rating.
Some example machines -- http://www.materials.co.uk/rubber.htm

 

[Mike_In_Plano]

Pantaz called it right. You measure "squisheyness" with a gauge that presses a rounded surface into the rubber under test. The pin is spring loaded, and as the rubber presses the pin back towards the gauge, an indicator gives a readout. As I recall, this continues until the surface around the pin eventually meshes with the rubber. Then you record the reading.
Since rubber varies widely, there are different scales and corresponding tips that you can use.

- Mike

 

[Curl]

Bulk Modulus