Tension vs. Compression: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on January 2, 2024
Tension refers to the force that stretches or elongates a material, while compression is the force that compacts or shortens a material.
Key Differences
Tension is a force that pulls or stretches a material, creating elongation. Compression, on the other hand, is a force that pushes or squeezes a material, leading to shortening or compaction.
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Jan 02, 2024
When under tension, materials experience a pulling force, often resulting in an increase in length. In contrast, compression subjects materials to a pushing force, causing them to become shorter or more compact.
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Jan 02, 2024
Tension is critical in structures like suspension bridges, where cables are under tension, pulling from either end. Compression is essential in buildings, where columns and beams compress under the weight of the structure.
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Jan 02, 2024
In tension, materials undergo tensile stress, characterized by stretching. In compression, they experience compressive stress, which is characterized by squeezing or contracting.
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Jan 02, 2024
Materials under excessive tension can break or snap, due to being overstretched. Conversely, materials under extreme compression can buckle or crumble, as they are over-compressed.
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Jan 02, 2024
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Comparison Chart
Force Direction
Pulling/stretching away from the object
Pushing/squeezing towards the object
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Jan 02, 2024
Common Failure Mode
Breaking due to overstretching
Buckling or crumbling due to over-squeezing
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Jan 02, 2024
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Tension and Compression Definitions
Tension
Tension often refers to mental or emotional strain.
The tension in the room was palpable during the negotiations.
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Compression
In physics, it's the application of pressure to condense matter.
The compression of the gas increased its temperature.
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Tension
In physics, tension is the force that pulls or stretches something.
The rope must withstand a lot of tension to support the weight.
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Compression
In technology, compression refers to reducing file size.
Video compression is essential for streaming.
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Tension
Tension can also mean the state of being stretched tight.
The tent's fabric was under tension to keep it secure.
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Compression
In medicine, compression refers to applying pressure to stop bleeding.
Compression bandages are used to control bleeding in first aid.
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Tension
In literature, tension is the suspense or excitement in a story.
The tension in the novel kept readers engaged until the end.
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Compression
Compression is the act of pressing together to reduce size or volume.
The compression of the data made it easier to transmit.
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Compression
The process by which the working substance in a heat engine, such as the vapor mixture in the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine, is compressed.
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Tension
Mental, emotional, or nervous strain
Working under great tension to make a deadline.
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Compression
(Computers) The process by which data is compressed into a form that minimizes the space required to store or transmit it.
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Tension
Barely controlled hostility or a strained relationship between people or groups
The dangerous tension between opposing military powers.
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Compression
An increase in density; the act of compressing, or the state of being compressed; compaction.
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Tension
A balanced relation between strongly opposing elements
"the continuing, and essential, tension between two of the three branches of government, judicial and legislative" (Haynes Johnson).
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Compression
(automotive) The cycle of an internal combustion engine during which the fuel and air mixture is compressed.
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Tension
The interplay of conflicting elements in a piece of literature, especially a poem.
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Tension
A device for regulating tautness, especially a device that controls the tautness of thread on a sewing machine or loom.
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Compression
(music) The electronic process by which any sound's gain is automatically controlled.
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Compression
(astronomy) The deviation of a heavenly body from a spherical form.
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Tension
The condition of being held in a state between two or more forces, which are acting in opposition to each other.
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Compression
Reduction of the space required for storage (of binary data) by an algorithm which converts the data to a smaller number of bits while preserving the information content. The act of compressing {3}.
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Tension
A feeling of nervousness, excitement, or fear that is created in a movie, book, etc.; suspense.
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Compression
The process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together;
The contraction of a gas on cooling
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Tension
State of an elastic object which is stretched in a way which increases its length.
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Compression
Encoding information while reducing the bandwidth or bits required
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Tension
Force transmitted through a rope, string, cable, or similar object (used with prepositions on, in, or of, e.g., "The tension in the cable is 1000 N", to convey that the same magnitude of force applies to objects attached to both ends).
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Tension
Voltage. Usually only the terms low tension, high tension, and extra-high tension, and the abbreviations LT, HT, and EHT are used. They are not precisely defined; LT is normally a few volts, HT a few hundreds of volts, and EHT thousands of volts.
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Compression
In engineering, it's the stress on materials from squeezing forces.
The pillar can withstand significant compression before failing.
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Tension
To place an object in tension, to pull or place strain on.
We tensioned the cable until it snapped.
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Tension
The act of stretching or straining; the state of being stretched or strained to stiffness; the state of being bent strained; as, the tension of the muscles, tension of the larynx.
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Tension
Fig.: Extreme strain of mind or excitement of feeling; intense effort.
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Tension
The degree of stretching to which a wire, cord, piece of timber, or the like, is strained by drawing it in the direction of its length; strain.
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Tension
The force by which a part is pulled when forming part of any system in equilibrium or in motion; as, the tension of a srting supporting a weight equals that weight.
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Tension
A device for checking the delivery of the thread in a sewing machine, so as to give the stitch the required degree of tightness.
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Tension
Expansive force; the force with which the particles of a body, as a gas, tend to recede from each other and occupy a larger space; elastic force; elasticity; as, the tension of vapor; the tension of air.
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Tension
The quality in consequence of which an electric charge tends to discharge itself, as into the air by a spark, or to pass from a body of greater to one of less electrical potential. It varies as the quantity of electricity upon a given area.
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Tension
Feelings of hostility that are not manifest;
He could sense her latent hostility to him
The diplomats' first concern was to reduce international tensions
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Tension
(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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Tension
The physical condition of being stretched or strained;
It places great tension on the leg muscles
He could feel the tenseness of her body
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Tension
A balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature);
There is a tension created between narrative time and movie time
There is a tension between these approaches to understanding history
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Tension
(physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body;
The direction of maximum tension moves asymptotically toward the direction of the shear
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Tension
The action of stretching something tight;
Tension holds the belt in the pulleys
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Tension
In music, tension refers to a sense of unresolved, anticipatory quality.
The composer used tension in the melody to build suspense.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is tension?
Tension is a force that stretches a material, increasing its length.
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Jan 02, 2024
How do tension and compression affect structures?
Tension can elongate structures, while compression can shorten or compact them.
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Can tension and compression occur simultaneously?
Yes, in many structures, both forces can act in different parts simultaneously.
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How is tension measured?
Tension is often measured in terms of force per unit area, like newtons per square meter.
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What is compression?
Compression is a force that shortens or compacts a material.
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What are examples of tension in everyday life?
The stretching of a rubber band or the tension in a guitar string.
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Can materials resist tension and compression equally?
No, different materials have varying resistance to tension and compression.
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What are examples of compression?
Compressing a sponge or the load on building columns.
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What occurs when compression exceeds a material's capacity?
The material can buckle, deform, or collapse.
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What units are used to measure compression?
Similar to tension, it's measured in newtons per square meter or pounds per square inch.
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Jan 02, 2024
Can tension cause materials to change shape permanently?
Excessive tension can lead to permanent deformation or breaking.
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Do temperature changes affect tension and compression?
Yes, temperature changes can affect the material properties, altering how they handle tension and compression.
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How do buildings handle compressive forces?
Through elements like columns that are strong in compression.
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Can compression affect the density of materials?
Yes, it can increase the density by reducing the volume.
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How do engineers calculate tension in a structure?
By analyzing the forces acting on it and the material properties.
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What happens when tension exceeds a material's limit?
The material can break or fracture.
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How is compression considered in architectural design?
By ensuring that structures can withstand the maximum expected compressive forces.
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How do cables in bridges handle tension?
They are designed to be strong in tension, carrying loads by stretching slightly.
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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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