Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Shear deformation occurs when an object is subjected to a force that causes layers of the material to slide past each other. It results in a change in shape without a significant change in volume.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Shear stress is defined as the force per unit area parallel to the surface, given by $\tau = F / A$.
The shear modulus, or modulus of rigidity, quantifies an object's ability to resist shear deformation and is denoted by $G$.
In materials science, shear deformation is analyzed using the relationship $\gamma = \frac{F}{A G}$ where $\gamma$ is the shear strain.
Shear deformation can occur in both solids and fluids; however, solids have a fixed structure while fluids flow under shear stress.
An example of shear deformation in everyday life is cutting paper with scissors, where the blades apply opposing forces causing the paper to slide apart.