Mechanical & acoustical properties

Mechanical properties describe how materials deform, flow, or fail under forces; acoustical properties describe how they interact with sound through transmission, absorption, and reflection.

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Stress (mechanics): Internal force per unit area within a material, expressed as a tensor. Stress specifies the internal loading used to measure a material’s mechanical response.
Hooke's law: A relation stating that elastic deformation is proportional to applied force within a material’s linear range. It describes the simplest link between applied load and elastic response.
Young's modulus: The ratio of tensile stress to axial strain in the linear elastic range. It provides a standard stiffness measure for selecting materials under tension.
Hardness: A material’s resistance to localized deformation, scratching, or indentation. Hardness concerns surface damage, not the bulk stiffness measured by elastic modulus.
Strain (mechanics): A dimensionless measure of deformation, describing changes in length, angle, or volume. Strain records the deformation produced by applied stress.
Plasticity (physics): The capacity of a material to undergo permanent deformation after loading. It marks the transition from recoverable deformation to lasting shape change.
Poisson's ratio: The negative ratio of transverse strain to axial strain during uniaxial loading. It predicts lateral dimensional changes in loaded components.
Strength of materials: The study of stresses and deformations in solid bodies under loads. It is a mechanics discipline, whereas these properties are characteristics of materials.
Elastic modulus: A measure of a material’s stiffness, relating stress to elastic strain. Modulus quantifies resistance to reversible deformation.
Fracture mechanics: The study of crack initiation and growth under applied loads. It explains failure when flaws concentrate mechanical stress.