Young Modulus case study

A higher Young's Modulus may mean that a particular line has a higher stiffness; therefore it wouldn't break easily.

Brief Explanation: Stretch a sample of long, thin line across a bench and clamp down one side and dangle down the other side, weighted by a known mass. Place a marker on the line next to a scale. Add more mass, and observe the marker move in order to determine the change in length. Continue until the line breaks. Using the recorded results, determine each line's Young Modulus using the formula.

Fishing Lines and their properties

The 3 main types of line used: braided dacron, monofilament and fluorocarbon.

Braided Dacron: 'high tensile strength, high resistance to stretching, both wet and dry...'3

Monofilament: one source states that 'monofilament fishing line due to its chemical properties is stiff with tension'.4

Fluorocarbon: '...don't lose their strength after prolonged immersion in water: as a result they have much less elongation (stretch) under load.'5

We must take into consideration that different companies produce varying quality of lines for each type of line; therefore we cannot assume that all are the same.

Historical/Social/Environmental/Economic Factors

Fishing has always been a significant practice for countless years. Primitive uses were mainly for hunting fish; making it a means of survival. However, nowadays fishing has become somewhat of a sport,hobby, or to some, a profession. It has become a competitive sport between anglers, where everyone seeks to use the best equipment with the best materials. Environmental fears may be that faulty lines break off into the water's depths, where the hooks are prone to being eaten by other fish, that would kill them. This is a waste of money for the angler, meaning that new equipment would need to be purchased.

The reason why I must perform the experiment in a laboratory, and not outdoors is because I will require a license to do anything related to fishing near any body of open water. 'Any angler aged 12 years or over, fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England (except the River Tweed), Wales or the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland must have an Environment Agency rod licence.'6

Pros

Cons

* We can test the lines in a dry laboratory, using necessary equipment

* We cannot recreate the actual environment where the lines are going to be utilised

* We can't implement the factor of water being a stimulus on the sample line due to its restriction

* We don't have professional equipment, therefore there will be errors and that would compromise the value of the final Young's Modulus for each line

Edexcel Limited (2008), Briefing Sheet for Young Modulus case study

2 Coordination Group Publications Ltd. (2008), AS-level Physics - Edexcel - Page 30. , (Researched 10/04/2009)

3 http://www.bartleby.com/65/da/Dacron.html , (Accessed 11/04/2009)

4 http://www.johnston-tackle.com/line-1.htm , (Accessed 11/04/2009)

5 http://members.lycos.co.uk/lureangler/fluoros.htm (paragraph: KNOTS ARE CRITICAL) (Accessed 11/04/2009)

6 http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/31497.aspx , (Accessed 11/04/09)

AS Physics - Young's Modulus Case Study Assessment