Mechanical Properties

Question 1

What is compressive strength?

Answer 1

The ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by pushing forces (compression).

Question 2

What is tensile strength?

Answer 2

The ability to resist stretching or pulling forces (tension).

Question 3

What is bending strength?

Answer 3

The ability to resist forces that bend the material.

Question 4

Shear strength

Answer 4

The ability to resist sliding forces on a parallel plane.

Question 5

Torsional strength

Answer 5

The ability to withstand twisting forces applied from torque or torsion.

Question 6

Hardness

Answer 6

The ability to resist abrasive wear such as scratching, surface indentation or cutting.

Question 7

Toughness

Answer 7

The ability to absorb impact force without fracture

Question 8

Plasticity

Answer 8

The ability to be permanently deformed (shaped) and retain the deformed shape.

Question 9

Ductility

Answer 9

The ability to be drawn out under tension, reducing cross-sectional area without cracking, for example stretching a material into a wire.

Question 10

Malleability

Answer 10

The ability to withstand deformation by compression without cracking. Malleability increases with a rise in temperature.

Question 11

Elasticity

Answer 11

The ability to be deformed and then return to the original shape when the force is removed.