Skin Elasticity Module
Objectives
- Master the anatomy and physiology of skin with special attention to its elastic properties.
- Calculate stress and strain.
- Understand and apply Hooke’s Law.
- Understand elastic and inelastic deformation in 1D, 2D, and 3D.
- Create force vs. displacement plots, add lines of best fit, and interpret the slopes of these lines.
- Design and implement a testable hypothesis and procedure for a particular problem.
- Create a scientific poster.
Description
This module was written with a physics or accelerated physics class in mind. It provides a unique and more difficult setting to learn and apply Hooke’s Law and elasticity.

Concepts and Skills
Physics
- Forces
- Stress and Strain
- Hooke’s Law
- Springs
Math
- Graphing
- Finding and interpreting lines of best fit
Activities
- Homework problems on stress and strain applying physics equations
- Creating a scientific poster based on the experiment that the students create testing skin elasticity using chicken skin
Time
This module is estimated to take ten 50-minute class periods.
