What is the Force Exerted by a Heated Steel Beam with Clamped Ends?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a steel beam that is clamped at both ends and heated, raising questions about the force exerted due to thermal expansion constraints. The subject area includes thermal expansion and material properties, specifically related to Young's modulus.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the new length of the beam after heating but expresses uncertainty about the role of Young's modulus in the problem. Other participants inquire about the significance of Young's modulus and how to relate it to stress and force.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the relationship between thermal expansion and material properties. Some guidance has been offered regarding the concept of Young's modulus, but there is no explicit consensus on the approach to take next.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the definitions and applications of relevant physical properties, and there may be gaps in understanding the implications of clamping the beam and the resulting forces involved.

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Homework Statement


Suppose the ends of a 20-m-long steel beam are rigidly clamped at 0°C to prevent expansion. The rail has a cross-sectional area of 30 cm^2. What force does the beam exert when it is heated to 40°C? ( αsteel = 1.1 × 10−5/C°, Ysteel = 2.0 × 1011 N/m2).


Homework Equations



delta L =alpha Li delta T

The Attempt at a Solution


I solve for the new length and get 20.0088m. I don't know what Ysteel is used for or were to start after finding the new lenght.
 
Last edited:
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The answer is one of these if that helps
a. 2.6 × 105 N
b. 5.6 × 104 N
c. 1.3 × 103 N
d. 6.5 × 102 N
e. 2.5 × 102 N
 
Do you know what the Young's elastic modulus Y signifies and how to work with it? If so, how much stress (and then, how much force) is required to compress the length back to 20 m?
 
no i haven't seen it before, what is the equation?
 
You might want to read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young%27s_modulus" .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
thanks i got it now
 

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