Stress (mechanics)

In continuum mechanics, stress is a physical quantity that describes forces present during deformation. For example, an object being pulled apart, such as a stretched elastic band, is subject to tensile stress and may undergo elongation. An object being pushed together, such as a crumpled sponge, is subject to compressive stress and may undergo shortening.

The greater the force and the smaller the cross-sectional area of the body on which it acts, the greater the stress.
Stress has dimension of force per area, with SI units of newtons per square meter (N/m2) or pascal (Pa).

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Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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