Stretching Wires: Tensile Strength Test for Various Metals

The Materials Science and Technology Teacher's Workshop (MAST) provides this experiment on the elastic and plastic properties of metals. The module involves using metal wire to gauge the elastic and plastic properties of metals by measuring length difference as a result of additional tensile loads. The lesson includes a step by step explanation of the laboratory procedure, diagrams, discussion questions and teacher notes. The exercise should take about 50 minutes of class time to complete.