Measurement of Young’s Modulus in Noodles and Bucatini

The mechanical behavior of two types of pasta (noodles and bucatini) was studied in a cantilever-loaded-at-the-end experimental setup. One end of each pasta was fixed while the other end was submitted to forces perpendicular to the line determined by the pasta when undeflected. Elastic curves were studied, resulting in values of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GPa and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GPa for the Young’s modulus of bucatini and noodles respectively. The relation coming from small slopes approximation between the free end’s displacement and the load was analyzed, resulting in values of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GPa and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GPa for the Young’s modulus of bucatini and noodles respectively. Mechanical hysteresis was found in the pasta, resulting in a small deformation. The experiment that we propose illustrates elastic properties of materials, and shows students how to perform measurements of Young’s modulus in cantilevers of different geometries. Furthermore, the experiment can be done with low cost materials, so that it is reproducible in basic mechanics laboratories and it is a good first introduction to some basic concepts of elasticity like mechanical hysteresis.