Stress vs. Strain: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on January 8, 2024
Stress is the force per unit area applied to a material, while strain is the deformation or displacement it undergoes in response to stress.
Key Differences
Stress is a measure of the internal forces acting within a material, calculated as force divided by area. Strain, in contrast, is the measure of deformation a material experiences due to applied stress, expressed as a change in dimension over original dimension.
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In materials science, stress quantifies the intensity of internal forces, described in units like Pascals. Strain, on the other hand, is a dimensionless quantity, representing the relative change in shape or size under stress.
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Stress can be of different types, such as tensile, compressive, or shear, depending on the direction of the applied force. Strain corresponds to these stresses, manifesting as elongation, compression, or displacement.
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The relationship between stress and strain is often characterized by material properties like Young's modulus. While stress is a factor in determining this relationship, strain is the resulting deformation, illustrating the material's response.
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Elasticity is a key concept involving both stress and strain. Stress causes a material to deform, and strain measures this deformation. Elastic materials return to their original shape after the stress is removed.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Force per unit area within a material
Deformation or displacement of a material
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Units
Pascals (Pa), Newtons per square meter (N/m²)
Dimensionless (change in dimension over original)
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Material Property Relation
Related to Young's modulus, elasticity
Indicates deformation, elasticity
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Dependence
Depends on external forces, material structure
Depends on stress and material properties
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Stress and Strain Definitions
Stress
Stress can be tensile, compressive, or shear.
Tensile stress occurs in a rope during a tug-of-war.
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Strain
Strain is the deformation in a material due to stress.
The strain in a rubber band is visible as it stretches.
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Strain
Strain measures the displacement under load.
Earthquakes cause strain in building structures.
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Strain
Strain is a dimensionless measure of deformation.
High strain can cause materials to fracture.
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Stress
The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.
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Strain
Strain reflects a material's response to stress.
Strain gauges measure deformation in laboratory tests.
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Stress
The relative force of sound or emphasis given a syllable or word in accordance with a metrical pattern.
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Strain
(Physics) To cause distortion of (a body's parts or shape) by applying an external force; deform.
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Stress
The internal distribution of force per unit area within a body subject to an applied force or system of forces.
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Strain
To injure or impair by overuse or overexertion; wrench
Strain a muscle.
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Stress
The internal resistance of a body to such an applied force or system of forces.
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Strain
To damage or weaken by pressure or tension
Winds that strained the mast.
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Stress
A condition of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain
"He presided over the economy during the period of its greatest stress and danger" (Robert J. Samuelson).
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Strain
To force beyond the proper or reasonable limit
An excuse that strains credulity.
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Stress
A condition of physiological or psychological disturbance to the normal functioning or well-being of an organism, occurring as a response to any of various environmental or psychosocial stimuli. Signs and symptoms of stress in humans include increased blood pressure, insomnia, and irritability.
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Stress
A stimulus or circumstance causing such a condition
Couldn't stand the stresses of the job and quit.
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Strain
To draw off or remove by filtration
Strained the pulp from the juice.
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Stress
To give prominence of sound to (a syllable or word) in pronouncing or in accordance with a metrical pattern.
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Strain
To make strong or steady efforts; strive hard
Straining to complete the coursework.
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Stress
(Informal) To subject to physiological or mental stress or strain. Often used with out
The pressure of the deadline is really stressing me out.
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Stress
To undergo physiological or mental stress, as from working too much. Often used with out.
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Strain
To be or become wrenched or twisted
The flagpole straining in the wind.
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Stress
(biology) A physical, chemical, infective agent aggressing an organism.
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Strain
To be subjected to great stress
With such busy lives, the marriage can strain.
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Stress
(biology) Aggression toward an organism resulting in a response in an attempt to restore previous conditions.
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Stress
The internal distribution of force across a small boundary per unit area of that boundary (pressure) within a body. It causes strain or deformation and is typically symbolised by σ or τ.
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Stress
Force externally applied to a body which cause internal stress within the body.
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Stress
(uncountable) Emotional pressure suffered by a human being or other animal.
Go easy on him, he's been under a lot of stress lately.
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Strain
Extreme or laborious effort, exertion, or work
Moved the sofa with little strain.
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Stress
A suprasegmental feature of a language having additional attention raised to a sound, word or word group by means of of loudness, duration or pitch; phonological prominence.
Some people put the stress on the first syllable of “controversy”; others put it on the second.
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Strain
A great or excessive demand or stress on one's body, mind, or resources
The strain of managing both a family and a career.
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Stress
The suprasegmental feature of a language having additional attention raised to a sound by means of of loudness and/or duration; phonological prominence phonetically achieved by means of dynamics as distinct from pitch.
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Strain
The state of being subjected to such demands or stresses
Trying to work under great strain.
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Stress
(uncountable) Emphasis placed on a particular point in an argument or discussion (whether spoken or written).
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Strain
A wrench, twist, or other physical injury resulting from excessive tension, effort, or use.
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Strain
(Physics) Any of several kinds of deformation of the dimensions of a body when subjected to stress, as axial strain or elastic strain.
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Stress
(transitive) To apply force to (a body or structure) causing strain.
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Strain
A group of bacteria or viruses that are genetically distinct from other groups of the same species.
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Strain
A group of cultivated plants or domestic animals of the same species that have distinctive characteristics but are not considered a separate breed or variety.
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Strain
The collective descendants of a common ancestor; a race, stock, line, or breed.
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Stress
(transitive) To emphasise (a syllable of a word).
“Emphasis” is stressed on the first syllable, but “emphatic” is stressed on the second.
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Strain
Any of the various lines of ancestry united in an individual or a family; ancestry or lineage.
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Stress
(transitive) To emphasise (a point) in an argument or discussion.
I must stress that this information is given in strict confidence.
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Strain
An inborn or inherited tendency or character
A strain of eccentricity in the family.
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Strain
An inherent quality; a streak
"his upper-caste father, placid, inactive, with a strain of asceticism" (V.S. Naipaul).
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Stress
Pressure, strain; - used chiefly of immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance; weight; significance.
The faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet they must not be put to a stress beyond their strength.
A body may as well lay too little as too much stress upon a dream.
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Strain
The tone, tenor, or substance of a verbal utterance or of a particular action or behavior
Spoke in a passionate strain.
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Stress
The force, or combination of forces, which produces a strain; force exerted in any direction or manner between contiguous bodies, or parts of bodies, and taking specific names according to its direction, or mode of action, as thrust or pressure, pull or tension, shear or tangential stress.
Stress is the mutual action between portions of matter.
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Strain
Often strains(Music) A passage of expression; a tune or an air
Melodic strains of the violin.
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Stress
Force of utterance expended upon words or syllables. Stress is in English the chief element in accent and is one of the most important in emphasis. See Guide to pronunciation, 31-35.
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Strain
(biology) A particular variety of a microbe, virus, or other organism, usually a taxonomically infraspecific one.
They say this year's flu virus is a particularly virulent strain.
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Strain
(figurative) Hereditary character, quality, tendency, or disposition.
There is a strain of madness in her family.
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Strain
Any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, etc.
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Stress
The relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch);
He put the stress on the wrong syllable
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Stress
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense;
He suffered from fatigue and emotional tension
Stress is a vasoconstrictor
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Stress
(physics) force that produces strain on a physical body;
The intensity of stress is expressed in units of force divided by units of area
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Stress
Special emphasis attached to something;
The stress was more on accuracy than on speed
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Stress
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension;
She endured the stresses and strains of life
He presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger
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Stress
To stress, single out as important;
Dr. Jones emphasizes exercise in addition to a change in diet
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Strain
A violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles.
He jumped up with a strain
The strain upon the sailboat's rigging
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Stress
Put stress on; utter with an accent;
In Farsi, you accent the last syllable of each word
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Strain
A dimensionless measure of object deformation either referring to engineering strain or true strain.
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Stress
Stress is the internal force per unit area in a material.
The stress on a bridge's cable increases with added weight.
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Stress
Stress is a physical quantity measuring applied force.
Engineers calculate stress to ensure building safety.
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Stress
Stress quantifies the intensity of internal forces.
The stress within a compressed spring is significant.
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Strain
To apply a force or forces to by stretching out.
To strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship
Relations between the United States and Guatemala traditionally have been close, although at times strained by human rights and civil/military issues.
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Stress
Stress relates to material strength and load capacity.
Materials are tested for maximum stress before failure.
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Strain
To damage by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force.
The gale strained the timbers of the ship.
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Strain
To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as when bending a beam.
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Strain
To exert or struggle (to do something), especially to stretch (one's senses, faculties etc.) beyond what is normal or comfortable.
Sitting in back, I strained to hear the speaker.
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Strain
To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in terms of intent or meaning.
To strain the law in order to convict an accused person
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Strain
(transitive) To separate solid from liquid by passing through a strainer or colander
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Strain
(intransitive) To percolate; to be filtered.
Water straining through a sandy soil
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Strain
To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain.
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Strain
To urge with importunity; to press.
To strain a petition or invitation
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Strain
(obsolete) To beget, generate (of light), engender, copulate (both of animals and humans), lie with, be born, come into the world.
A man straineth, liveth, then dieth.
Man, look at that cat straining that kitty.
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Strain
Race; stock; generation; descent; family.
He is of a noble strain.
With animals and plants a cross between different varieties, or between individuals of the same variety but of another strain, gives vigor and fertility to the offspring.
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Strain
Hereditary character, quality, or disposition.
Intemperance and lust breed diseases, which, propogated, spoil the strain of nation.
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Strain
A violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles; as, he lifted the weight with a strain; the strain upon a ship's rigging in a gale; also, the hurt or injury resulting; a sprain.
Whether any poet of our country since Shakespeare has exerted a greater variety of powers with less strain and less ostentation.
Credit is gained by custom, and seldom recovers a strain.
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Strain
A portion of music divided off by a double bar; a complete musical period or sentence; a movement, or any rounded subdivision of a movement.
Their heavenly harps a lower strain began.
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Strain
A change of form or dimensions of a solid or liquid mass, produced by a stress.
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Strain
Any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, oration, book, etc.; theme; motive; manner; style; also, a course of action or conduct; as, he spoke in a noble strain; there was a strain of woe in his story; a strain of trickery appears in his career.
Such take too high a strain at first.
The genius and strain of the book of Proverbs.
It [Pilgrim's Progress] seems a novelty, and yet containsNothing but sound and honest gospel strains.
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Strain
Turn; tendency; inborn disposition. Cf. 1st Strain.
Because heretics have a strain of madness, he applied her with some corporal chastisements.
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Strain
To draw with force; to extend with great effort; to stretch; as, to strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship; to strain the cords of a musical instrument.
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Strain
To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as forces on a beam to bend it.
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Strain
To exert to the utmost; to ply vigorously.
He sweats,Strains his young nerves.
They strain their warbling throatsTo welcome in the spring.
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Strain
To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in the matter of intent or meaning; as, to strain the law in order to convict an accused person.
There can be no other meaning in this expression, however some may pretend to strain it.
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Strain
To injure by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force; as, the gale strained the timbers of the ship.
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Strain
To injure in the muscles or joints by causing to make too strong an effort; to harm by overexertion; to sprain; as, to strain a horse by overloading; to strain the wrist; to strain a muscle.
Prudes decayed about may track,Strain their necks with looking back.
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Strain
To squeeze; to press closely.
Evander with a close embraceStrained his departing friend.
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Strain
To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain.
He talks and plays with Fatima, but his mirthIs forced and strained.
The quality of mercy is not strained.
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Strain
To urge with importunity; to press; as, to strain a petition or invitation.
Note, if your lady strain his entertainment.
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Strain
To press, or cause to pass, through a strainer, as through a screen, a cloth, or some porous substance; to purify, or separate from extraneous or solid matter, by filtration; to filter; as, to strain milk through cloth.
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Strain
To make violent efforts.
To build his fortune I will strain a little.
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Strain
To percolate; to be filtered; as, water straining through a sandy soil.
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Strain
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
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Strain
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension;
She endured the stresses and strains of life
He presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger
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Strain
A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence;
She was humming an air from Beethoven
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Strain
(psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress;
His responsibilities were a constant strain
The mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him
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Strain
A special variety of domesticated animals within a species;
He experimented on a particular breed of white rats
He created a new strain of sheep
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Strain
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups;
A new strain of microorganisms
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Strain
Injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain
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Strain
Pervading note of an utterance;
I could follow the general tenor of his argument
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Strain
The act of singing;
With a shout and a song they marched up to the gates
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Strain
Use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity;
He really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro
Don't strain your mind too much
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Strain
Separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements;
Sift the flour
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Strain
Rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender;
Puree the vegetables for the baby
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Strain
Alter the shape of (something) by stress;
His body was deformed by leprosy
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Strain
Strain is the relative change in shape or size.
Metal beams show strain under heavy loads.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is strain a dimensionless quantity?
Yes, it's expressed as a relative change in dimension.
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Jan 08, 2024
What is stress in materials science?
The internal force per unit area within a material.
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How is stress measured?
In units like Pascals (Pa) or Newtons per square meter (N/m²).
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What are the different forms of strain?
Elongational, compressional, and shear strain.
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What role does strain play in engineering?
It helps assess how materials deform under various loads.
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How is stress different from pressure?
Stress is a measure of internal resistance in a material, while pressure is an external force applied uniformly over a surface.
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What is Poisson's ratio?
Poisson's ratio (ν) measures the lateral contraction of a material when stretched longitudinally. It's the ratio of transverse strain to axial strain.
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What does strain indicate in a material?
The deformation or displacement experienced by the material.
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What is engineering strain vs. true strain?
Engineering strain uses original dimensions for calculations, while true strain considers instantaneous dimensions during deformation.
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How is strain related to deformation?
Strain quantifies the amount of deformation experienced by a material due to applied stress.
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How does stress affect materials?
It can cause deformation, change in shape, or even failure.
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What is the ultimate tensile strength of a material?
Ultimate tensile strength is the maximum stress a material can withstand without breaking.
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What is plastic strain?
Plastic strain is permanent deformation that remains after the removal of stress.
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What is the yield stress of a material?
Yield stress is the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.
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What is shear strain?
Shear strain occurs when adjacent layers of a material slide past each other.
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Jan 08, 2024
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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