Which term describes the deformation or change in shape of a metal when a stress or load is applied?

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Multiple Choice

Which term describes the deformation or change in shape of a metal when a stress or load is applied?

When a metal is subjected to a load, the deformation that occurs is described by strain. Strain measures how much the material has changed shape or length relative to its original size, typically defined as the change in length divided by the original length (a dimensionless quantity). It can be tensile, compressive, or shear, depending on the type of loading. Stress, by contrast, is the internal force per area that causes that deformation. Elasticity and plasticity describe how the material responds to the load—elasticity is reversible deformation up to the elastic limit, while plasticity is permanent deformation once yielding occurs. So strain is the term that directly describes the deformation itself.

When a metal is subjected to a load, the deformation that occurs is described by strain. Strain measures how much the material has changed shape or length relative to its original size, typically defined as the change in length divided by the original length (a dimensionless quantity). It can be tensile, compressive, or shear, depending on the type of loading. Stress, by contrast, is the internal force per area that causes that deformation. Elasticity and plasticity describe how the material responds to the load—elasticity is reversible deformation up to the elastic limit, while plasticity is permanent deformation once yielding occurs. So strain is the term that directly describes the deformation itself.

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