Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2011/paper-1/section-a/a3/solution

Take as the tensile force exerted on the band, so reversible stretching supplies work . At fixed other mechanical variables,
Equality of mixed derivatives of the Helmholtz free energy yields the thermoelastic Maxwell relation for a stretched band
For entropy-dominated rubber elasticity, increasing extension reduces configurational entropy, consistently giving a tensile force that increases with temperature at fixed extension. A force defined as the band's restoring force on its support has the opposite sign.

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