What is Elasticity (physics)?
{{Continuum mechanics}} :[[File:Elastico-animacao.gif|thumb|A rubber band is elastic, and can be stretched]]''Economic elasticity is at [[elasticity (economics)]]'' {{wiktionary|elastic}} Something that is '''elastic''' can be stretched or deformed (changed) and returned to its original form, like a [[rubber]] band. It tries to come back to its first shape. The ''stress'' is the force applied; the ''strain'' is how much the shape is changed, and the [[elastic modulus]] is the ratio between those numbers. This idea was first suggested<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lindahall.org/events_exhib/exhibit/exhibits/civil/design.shtml |title=Arch Design<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2010-03-17 |archive-date=2010-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113210736/http://www.lindahall.org/events_exhib/exhibit/exhibits/civil/design.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> by [[Robert Hooke]] in 1675. The simplest model for elasticity is [[Hooke's law]]. It says that the force to stretch something (F) is proportional to the distance it is stretched (x). This is usually written as <math>F=k x</math>, where <math>k</math> is a [[constant]] called the spring constant. If it is easy to stretch a [[material]], that material has a lower k value. Elastic materials are different than plastic materials. A [[Plasticity (physics)|plastic material]] can be stretched or deformed, but it will not return to its original form. == References == {{reflist}} {{physics-stub}} [[Category:Basic English 850 words]] [[Category:Elasticity (physics)]]