Is there any physics topic explaining how objects break into parts?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the physics of how solid objects break into parts when subjected to force. It explores concepts related to material strength, modes of failure, and the mechanics of collisions, particularly focusing on solid materials like glass and their behavior under impact.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the topic is vast and relates to the strength of materials, mentioning various modes of failure and types of materials.
  • Questions are raised about the specifics of the object and the nature of the force applied, emphasizing the need for detailed information to provide a precise answer.
  • Participants discuss the impact of the shape and material of the object, with a focus on solid cubes made of glass.
  • There is a consideration of how the cubes contact each other (e.g., edge across edge) and the implications for pressure and damage during the collision.
  • One participant suggests that the forces involved in the collision could be represented by sine waves, leading to a discussion about harmonic series and collision dynamics.
  • Another participant explores the idea of force decreasing with each atomic collision and whether this can be modeled mathematically.
  • There is a discussion about how remaining force may transfer to other objects, such as a table, and the distinction between force and momentum in this context.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying degrees of agreement on the importance of material properties and the specifics of the collision, but no consensus is reached on the exact mechanics or models that apply to the scenario. Multiple competing views and questions remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in the specificity of questions posed and the complexity of material behavior under force, indicating that assumptions about material properties and conditions are critical to understanding the outcomes.

Nabir14
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TL;DR
For example is there any topic explaining what will happen if a force is applied on an object. Like hitting a solid object with another solid object of same metarial like glass.
I am curious to know if there is any existing topic explaining how objects break into several pieces when force is applied.
 
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Baluncore said:
What is the object, and how is the force applied.

That is an enormous subject related to the strength of materials.
There are many modes of failure and many material types.
You could drop it on the floor, or over-bend it in a press.
It could implode or explode.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_mechanics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_mechanics#See_also
The object is solid and the force is applied one way (hit). Is there any way currently explaining how it will break?
 
Nabir14 said:
The object is solid and the force is applied one way (hit). Is there any way currently explaining how it will break?
Yes.
What material is the object made from?
What shape is the object?
What is it hit by?
How was the object supported at the time it was hit?
 
There are entire courses devoted to strength of materials. Entire textbooks too.

To get a specific answer, you need to ask a specific question - "if I put a force on a thing what will happen" is too vague.
 
Baluncore said:
Yes.
What material is the object made from?
What shape is the object?
What is it hit by?
How was the object supported at the time it was hit?
Solid
Cube
Cube
On a table
 
Vanadium 50 said:
There are entire courses devoted to strength of materials. Entire textbooks too.

To get a specific answer, you need to ask a specific question - "if I put a force on a thing what will happen" is too vague.
You're right let me edit the thread
 
Nabir14 said:
Solid
Liquids and gasses do not "break" so it must be solid.
Are both cubes made from the same material?
What is the material, glass, wood, plastic, etc?
 
Baluncore said:
Liquids and gasses do not "break" so it must be solid.
Are both cubes made from the same material?
What is the material, glass, wood, plastic, etc?
Let's go with glass and yes same metarial
 
  • #10
Do the cubes contact;
face to face,
point to face,
edge to face, or
edge across edge?
 
  • #11
Baluncore said:
Do the cubes contact;
face to face,
point to face,
edge to face, or
edge across edge?
edge across edge.
with 1N Force
1st object it still
While the other one has 1ms-2 of acceleration
Gravitational Force is 9.8 ms-2
 
  • #12
Edge across edge will have a very small initial area, so a very high pressure. Where the edges contact, the edge will be crushed, forming a notch. The faces next to the notch will spawl, with a flake of glass exploding from the surface. The relative size of the flakes produced from each face will depend on the angle to the face. Both cubes will receive a similar amount of damage, that will dissipate the energy of the collision.
 
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  • #13
Baluncore said:
Edge across edge will have a very small initial area, so a very high pressure. Where the edges contact, the edge will be crushed, forming a notch. The faces next to the notch will spawl, with a flake of glass exploding from the surface. The relative size of the flakes produced from each face will depend on the angle to the face. Both cubes will receive a similar amount of damage, that will dissipate the energy of the collision.
Can these forces be represented as Sine Waves? Does sine waves has to do anything with this?
 
  • #14
Nabir14 said:
Does sine waves has to do anything with this?
Certainly not by just one sinewave.
A pulse, or the step function of a collision, can be represented by a harmonic series of sine waves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier_series
 
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  • #15
Baluncore said:
Certainly not by just one sinewave.
A pulse, or the step function of a collision, can be represented by a harmonic series of sine waves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier_series
Thank you very much.

I was thinking if the Force is decreased by every atom it collides with. Does it?

Can it be explained by a F/N formula where F is the current force and n is the number of collisions.
 
  • #16
Nabir14 said:
I was thinking if the Force is decreased by every atom it collides with. Does it?
Yes, as the collision continues, the area of the notches in contact increases, the work done crushing glass, is the product of the remaining force, by the distance travelled in contact.

At some point, the pressure in the contact zone will fall below that needed to crush glass, so the cubes will bounce off each other, being pushed apart by the energy stored in the elasticity of intact glass around the contact.
 
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  • #17
Baluncore said:
Yes, as the collision continues, the area of the notches in contact increase, the work done crushing glass is the product of the remaining force by the distance travelled in contact.

At some point, the pressure in the contact zone will fall below that needed to crush glass, so the cubes will bounce off each other, being pushed apart by the energy stored in the elasticity of intact glass around the contact.
If any force is still left will it transfer that force to the object that is touching it like in this example the table?
 
  • #18
Nabir14 said:
If any force is still left will it transfer that force to the object that is touching it like in this example the table?
That will be determined by how the cubes are supported. Most of the remaining energy will be elastic, so it will cause the cubes to move apart, or to bounce on the surface of the table.
 
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  • #19
Nabir14 said:
If any force is still left will it transfer that force to the object that is touching it like in this example the table?
"Force" is not a conserved quantity. It is not used up. Momentum a conserved quantity that you can sensibly ask about.

Force can be thought of as the rate of transfer of momentum.
 
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