Virtual Laboratory-Based Determination of Young^s Modulus via Stress-Strain Measurement Using Computational Simulation Dina Rahmi Darman1 , Firmanul Catur Wibowo2, and Zulkifli Khair3
1 Department of Primary Teacher Education, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jakarta, 13220, Indonesia
2 Department of Physics Education, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jakarta, 13220, Indonesia
3 Faculty of social sciences and humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor, Malaysia.
Abstract
Elasticity is a fundamental topic in physics, yet students often find stress, strain, and Young^s modulus difficult to understand because these concepts are abstract and require precise measurement. This article describes the use of a virtual laboratory-based computer simulation to determine Young^s modulus through stress-strain measurement. The simulation was designed as a student practicum medium that allows users to vary tensile force, initial wire length, wire diameter, and material type. Through guided practicum activities, students explore the functional relationship between wire elongation, tensile force, cross-sectional area, initial length, and Young^s modulus. This study used a descriptive computational simulation approach consisting of variable exploration, virtual measurement, data tabulation, graph analysis, and mathematical modelling. The practicum results show that wire elongation is directly proportional to tensile force and initial wire length, but inversely proportional to cross-sectional area and Young^s modulus. The graph of wire elongation against tensile force forms a linear pattern, indicating that Young^s modulus can be determined from the gradient of the curve. These findings suggest that virtual laboratories support students^ conceptual understanding of elasticity through visual, interactive, and measurable learning experiences. The simulation also provides a practical alternative for physics practicum activities when access to laboratory equipment is limited.
