tensile strength

Ratio of the maximum load a material can support without fracture when being stretched to the original area of a cross section of the material. When stresses less than the tensile strength are removed, a material completely or partially returns to its original size and shape. As the stress approaches that of the tensile strength, a material that has begun to flow forms a narrow, constricted region that is easily fractured. Tensile strengths are measured in units of force per unit area. Seealso deformation and flow.

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In materials science and physical metallurgy, any of various numbers that quantify the response of a material to elastic or springy deflection. When tensile stress is applied to a material, the resulting strain is determined by Young's modulus (see Thomas Young), a constant defined as the ratio of the stress in a body to the corresponding strain. It has dimensions of (force)/(length)² and is measured in units such as the pascal or newton per square meter (1 Pa = 1 N/m²), dyne/cm², or lbs per sq in. (psi). Seealso elasticity.

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