Question

The cross sectional area of a copper rod is 4.5 cm2. What is the magnitude of the largest weight that can be hung on it?

Answer 1

Copper has tensile strength c. 3.0 × 10^8 N/m^2, which is the largest **stress** that the wire can support before it breaks.

**stress** here will be is W / A, where W is weight and A the cross sect area of the wire

W/A = 3 x 10^8, solve for W