Tensile strength

Definition

Tensile strength is the maximum amount of tensile stress that a material can withstand before failure. It is measured in units of force per unit area (e.g., Pascals or PSI).

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Tensile strength indicates how much pulling or stretching a material can endure before breaking.
2. It is an important factor in materials science and engineering when selecting materials for construction and manufacturing.
3. Tensile strength is determined through a tensile test, where a sample is subjected to controlled tension until it fails.
4. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) is the highest point on the stress-strain curve, representing the maximum stress the material can handle.
5. Ductile materials have high tensile strength and can undergo significant deformation before failure, while brittle materials have lower tensile strengths and fail with little deformation.

Review Questions

• What does tensile strength measure?
• How is the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) represented on a stress-strain curve?
• Why is tensile strength important in material selection for construction?

Related terms

Stress:

Stress is the internal force per unit area within materials that arises from externally applied forces. It is measured in Pascals (Pa).

Strain:

Strain is the deformation or displacement of material relative to its original length due to applied stress. It is dimensionless.

Elasticity:

Elasticity refers to a material's ability to return to its original shape after being deformed by an external force. This property determines how flexible or stiff a material is.