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Ductility

Definition

Ductility is the property that allows a substance (usually metal) to be drawn out into a wire.

Analogy

Imagine ductility as chewing gum. When you pull on both ends, it stretches out into long strands just like how ductile materials can be pulled into wires!

Related terms

Tensile Strength: The maximum amount of tensile (pulling) stress that an object/material can take before failure i.e., before breaking or permanent deformation occurs.

Brittleness: A characteristic of materials that break or shatter instead of bending when subjected to stress; opposite of ductility.

Strain Hardening (Work Hardening): The process by which metal becomes stronger and harder due to plastic deformation caused by heat treatment or through working such as hammering or bending.

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.