What is the internal resistance to a change in shape when an external load is applied?

Study for the Machinery Repairman Test. Enhance skills with comprehensive questions, detailed hints, and insightful explanations. Dominate your exam!

Multiple Choice

What is the internal resistance to a change in shape when an external load is applied?

When a load is applied, the material resists the resulting deformation through internal forces distributed inside it. This internal resistance is called stress. Stress is defined as internal force per unit cross-sectional area and is what counteracts the external load to prevent or slow shape change. The deformation that actually occurs—the change in shape or length—is known as strain, not the internal resistance. Hardness measures how resistant a material is to surface indentation, and yield strength describes the stress level at which permanent (plastic) deformation begins, not the immediate resistance to the shape change itself.

When a load is applied, the material resists the resulting deformation through internal forces distributed inside it. This internal resistance is called stress. Stress is defined as internal force per unit cross-sectional area and is what counteracts the external load to prevent or slow shape change. The deformation that actually occurs—the change in shape or length—is known as strain, not the internal resistance. Hardness measures how resistant a material is to surface indentation, and yield strength describes the stress level at which permanent (plastic) deformation begins, not the immediate resistance to the shape change itself.

More practice questions