Red Seal Metal Fabricator (Fitter) Practice Exam

What material property is defined as the ability to absorb energy and deform plastically without fracturing?

1. Strength

2. Brittleness

3. Toughness

4. Hardness

The correct answer is: Toughness

The material property defined as the ability to absorb energy and deform plastically without fracturing is toughness. Toughness is a critical factor in determining how materials respond under stress, particularly in dynamic or impact situations. Tough materials can withstand significant deformations and energy absorption before failure, which is essential in applications where materials are subjected to high pressures, shock loads, or sudden impacts. This property indicates a balance between strength and ductility; a tough material can endure alterations in shape without breaking, making it suitable for a range of structural applications. In contrast, strength relates specifically to a material's ability to withstand an applied load without failing, but does not account for the extent of deformation that occurs before failure. Brittleness refers to a material's tendency to fracture or break without significant deformation when subjected to stress. Hardness measures a material's resistance to deformation, typically under compressive loads, but does not indicate how well it can absorb energy before failure. Understanding toughness is essential for applications where safety and reliability are critical, such as in construction and manufacturing of machinery.