Quote:
Originally Posted by magnets
It takes more force to stretch the surgical tubing at the end than it does at the beginning.
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That depends on your wording and if the surgical tubing (or other spring mechanism) is strained beyond the linear elastic region. While, yes, it will take more total force to stretch the material from 0 to Y than 0 to X (assuming Y>X), the force to stretch from X to X+1 may not be more than the force required to stretch from X-1 to X.
Point 1 on that diagram represents the yield stress, where the linear elastic region stops and any further strain on the object will result in some permanent deformation.
Ideally, teams would keep their surgical turbing (or other spring) entirely within the linear elastic region so the characteristics of their launch remain consistent over time. However, the reality of the situation is often that, in order to achieve enough initial force given a limited travel distance, the tubing is stretched beyond the yield stress, and some permanent deformation occurs to the tubing each time it is stretched.