The Mechanical Behavior of Materials

The mechanical behavior of materials refers to how they respond to forces and stresses. When a force is applied—like pulling, pushing, or twisting—materials can stretch, bend, or deform temporarily, or even break if the force is too strong. Their behavior depends on their internal structure, influencing properties such as strength, ductility (how much they can stretch), hardness, and toughness. Understanding this helps in designing materials for different uses—ensuring they are strong enough, flexible, or durable to meet specific needs in engineering and everyday applications.