At the end of this section you should be able to:

1. Identify key values on a stress-strain curve

2. Know Hooke’s Law and where it applies

3. Relate deformation along one axis with deformation along another

4. Relate deformation of object to forces in that object

Materials explains how engineering materials behave under tensile loading and how to read a stress strain curve. You will interpret tensile test data for metals and polymers, identify key features on a stress strain diagram (including the linear elastic region and strength related points), and apply Hooke’s Law where it is valid to connect stress, strain, and elastic modulus. You will also use Poisson’s ratio to relate axial deformation to lateral deformation, then connect measured deformation back to the forces carried by an axially loaded member. The page includes short demonstrations, practice problems focused on extracting material properties and predicting dimensional change, and Mathematica code to support calculation and checking.