Elasticity (Physics) - NEET Previous Year Questions with Solutions

NTA typically asks 1 to 2 questions from the Elasticity (Mechanical Properties of Solids) chapter in NEET. Each question carries 4 marks for a correct answer and results in a −1 deduction for a wrong answer. Given the formula-driven nature of this chapter, these are among the most reliably scorable questions in Physics.

Elasticity should not be skipped. It consistently appears in NEET and requires relatively low study time compared to the marks it offers. The chapter has a fixed, predictable set of formulas and concepts. Students who prepare this chapter well almost always score full marks on it — making it a high-return topic in your NEET preparation strategy.

Young's modulus measures resistance to longitudinal (stretching/compressing) stress. Bulk modulus measures resistance to uniform pressure applied from all directions (volumetric change). Shear modulus (rigidity modulus) measures resistance to shape change without volume change. NEET tests all three, but Young's modulus appears most frequently in numerical problems.

Steel is more elastic than rubber. Elasticity in physics means the ability to return to original shape — not the ability to stretch far. Steel returns to its exact original shape under small deformations, giving it a very high Young's modulus. Rubber stretches a lot but does not follow Hooke's Law precisely. NEET asks this as a conceptual trap question.

Poisson's ratio has no unit — it is a dimensionless quantity. Its theoretical range is −1 to 0.5. For most common engineering materials (steel, copper, aluminium), Poisson's ratio lies between 0.25 and 0.35. A value of 0.5 indicates an incompressible material. NEET occasionally asks about its range and dimensions.