Understanding the physical properties of materials

What is tensile strength?

The ability of a material to resist stretching or breaking when pulled

What is compressive strength?

A materials ability to withstand loads without changing its shape

What is hardness?

This is a materials ability to resist changing shape when impacted by another object

What is toughness?

The ability of a material to absorb energy before it starts to deform

What is malleability?

The materials ability to be repeatedly hammered, pressed, bent or rolled into thin sheets

What is ductility?

The ability of a material to be drawn or plastically deformed without breaking

What is conductivity?

A measure of how well the material conducts heat or electricity

What is corrosive resistance?

How well the material can withstand damage caused by chemicals or oxidisation

What is elasticity?

The ability of a material to limit distorting and return to its original shape and size

What is a environmental degradation?

How the physical environment is degraded, damaged or compromised through a range of situations such as air pollution, water contamination etc.