{"id":3573,"date":"2025-07-18T12:04:55","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T04:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/?p=3573"},"modified":"2025-07-18T12:05:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T04:05:01","slug":"stress-vs-strain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/stress-vs-strain\/","title":{"rendered":"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Stress and strain are two of the most important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Stress is the internal force per unit area within a material under load ,while strain is the deformation or change in shape of the material that results from the applied force.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>However, the relationship between stress and strain goes far beyond theory \u2014 it is essential for sound engineering decisions. By comparing them side by side, we can better predict how materials perform, how much they can safely deform, and when they might fail. This article explores their definitions, differences, relationship, and practical applications.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Before we get into the details,you may find this short introductory video on stress and strain helpful:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:html -->\n<iframe width=\"871\" height=\"490\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aQf6Q8t1FQE\" title=\"An Introduction to Stress and Strain\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<!-- \/wp:html -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Stress\uff1f<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Stress is the internal force per unit area that a material develops to resist an external load. Microscopically, the applied load induces interatomic forces that oppose deformation and \u201chold\u201d the structure together; this internal resistance is what we measure as stress.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Depending on how the load is applied, stress is classified as:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Tensile stress (\u03c3<sub>t<\/sub>) and compressive stress (\u03c3<sub>c<\/sub>):<\/strong> These are normal stresses that act perpendicular to the cross-sectional area.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Shear stress (\u03c4): <\/strong>Caused by tangential forces acting parallel to the cross-sectional area.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Torsional stress (\u03c4<sub>t<\/sub>): <\/strong>A specific form of shear stress induced by torque or twisting.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Among them, tensile stress is the most fundamental type of stress in engineering design. The calculation formula is:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":3587,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\",\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img src=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/engineer-stress-formula.png\" alt=\"engineer stress formula\" class=\"wp-image-3587\"\/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Where:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>\u03c3= stress (Pa or N\/m\u00b2; sometimes psi)<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>F = applied force (N)<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>A = the original cross-sectional area over which the force is applied (m\u00b2)<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Stress of Materials Is Measured<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Measuring stress directly is not possible, so instead, we must measure either the applied forces or resulting deformations. Below is a concise overview of key measurement techniques:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:table {\"className\":\"is-style-stripes\",\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes has-small-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Method \/ Technology<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Principle<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Measurement Device \/ Tool<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Accuracy &amp; Precision<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Common Applications<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Universal Testing Machine (UTM<\/strong><strong>)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Measures force (F), calculates stress = F\/A<\/td><td>UTM with integrated load cell<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 (High Accuracy)<\/td><td>Fundamental material testing: stress-strain curves, mechanical property evaluation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Strain Gauge<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Measures strain (\u03b5), calculates stress via \u03c3 = E\u00b7\u03b5<br>(assumes linear elasticity)&nbsp;<\/td><td>Strain gauge, data acquisition system<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 (High)<\/td><td>Component stress analysis; fatigue evaluation; embedded structural monitoring<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Extensometer<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Measures gauge-length change, calculates \u03b5 and \u03c3<\/td><td>Contact or non-contact extensometers<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 (High)<\/td><td>Tensile testing of specimens; verification of elastic modulus and yield strain<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Digital Image Correlation (DIC)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Optical method, tracks full-field surface deformation<\/td><td>High-speed camera system, DIC software<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 (Full-field)<\/td><td>Full-field strain analysis; crack tracking; material inhomogeneity studies<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Ultrasonic Stress Measurement<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Uses wave velocity changes in materials under stress<\/td><td>Ultrasonic probe and receiver<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 (Moderate)<\/td><td>Residual stress detection; stress monitoring in welded joints and large structures<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>X-ray Diffraction (XRD)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Measures lattice distortion caused by internal stress<\/td><td>XRD diffractometer, specialized software<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 (High accuracy; localized to surface layers)<\/td><td>Thin films, welding zones, surface residual stress in metals and ceramics<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Photoelasticity<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Visualizes stress via optical interference fringes in transparent birefringent&nbsp;materials<\/td><td>Polarized light setup and birefringent polymer models<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 (Qualitative to semi-quantitative)<\/td><td>Educational demos; experimental stress analysis in transparent models<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Micro\/nanoscale characterization techniques<\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/td><td>Techniques like EBSD, micro-Raman, nanoindentation provide micro- or nanoscale strain\/stress mapping&nbsp;<\/td><td>Electron or laser-based systems, image analysis&nbsp;software<\/td><td>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 (High accuracy; localized micro\/nano scale)&nbsp;<\/td><td>Microelectronics, thin films, nanoindentation, composite interface behavior<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:table -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Strain\uff1f<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Strain is a measure of the relative deformation a material undergoes when subjected to an external force. It is expressed as a unitless quantity or as a percentage, representing the change in length (or other dimensions) to the original length (or dimension).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The type of strain corresponds to the stress applied: tensile strain, compressive strain, or shear strain.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The formula for normal strain is:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":3588,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\",\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img src=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/engineer-strain-formula.png\" alt=\"engineer strain formula\" class=\"wp-image-3588\"\/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Where:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>\u03f5 = strain (dimensionless or expressed in %)<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>\u0394L = change in length<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>L<sub>0<\/sub> = original length<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Strain of Materials Is Measured<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Various methods can be used to measure strain. The most commonly used techniques are strain gauges and extensometers. The table below summarizes common methods for measuring strain in materials:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:table {\"className\":\"is-style-stripes\",\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes has-small-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Method<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Sensing Principle<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Sensor \/ Transducer<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Measurement Scenario<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Remarks<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Strain Gauge<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Resistance change<\/td><td>Foil-type strain gauge<\/td><td>Static or low-frequency strain; commonly used<\/td><td>Widely used in industry; low cost; requires adhesive bonding and wiring connections<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Extensometer<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Displacement<\/td><td>Clip-on \/ contact extensometer<\/td><td>Material testing; full-section measurement<\/td><td>High accuracy; unsuitable for dynamic tests or highly localized strain<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Digital Image Correlation (DIC)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Optical tracking<\/td><td>Camera + speckle pattern<\/td><td>Full-field strain mapping; crack propagation; complex-shaped specimens<\/td><td>Non-contact; 2D\/3D deformation mapping; expensive system<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Piezoelectric Sensor<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Piezoelectric effect<\/td><td>Piezoelectric film or crystal<\/td><td>Dynamic strain, pressure, impact, vibration<\/td><td>High frequency response; unsuitable for static strain measurements<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Optical (Bragg reflection)<\/td><td>FBG optical fiber sensor<\/td><td>Distributed or multiplexed measurement over long distances<\/td><td>Immune to EMI; suitable for aerospace, energy, and smart structures<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Doppler effect<\/td><td>LDV laser probe<\/td><td>Dynamic strain\/velocity measurement and surface vibration analysis<\/td><td>Non-contact; high resolution; expensive; sensitive to surface conditions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:table -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Difference in Stress vs. Strain<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Below is a quick table providing a direct overview:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:table {\"className\":\"is-style-stripes\",\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes has-small-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Aspect<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Stress<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Strain<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Formula<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>\u03c3 = F \/ A<\/td><td>\u03b5 = \u0394L \/ L\u2080<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Units<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Pa (N\/m\u00b2), or psi&nbsp;(lbf\/in\u00b2)<\/td><td>Dimensionless or %<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Cause<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>External force<\/td><td>Deformation caused by stress<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Effect<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>Generates internal forces to counteract external loads; may lead to&nbsp;plastic&nbsp;deformation , fracture, fatigue failure or stress-corrosion cracking if too high<\/td><td>Changes the geometry of the material; recoverable in elastic limit, permanent beyond the yield point<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Behavior<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td>The internal force per area that a material must resist. Depending on distribution, it can cause compression, tension, bending or torsion<\/td><td>Describes how much the material deforms under applied stress; can be elastic or plastic<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:table -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Stress and Strain Relate to Each Other<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":3591,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img src=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Ductile-Stress-vs.-Strain-Curve-1.png\" alt=\"Ductile Stress vs. Strain Curve\" class=\"wp-image-3591\"\/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Stress causes strain. A stress-strain curve graphs how a material deforms under gradually increasing load by plotting strain (deformation) against applied stress. Let\u2019s review its key points:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Elastic Region (Point O\u2013B)<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Linear Region(O-A):<\/strong> Stress and strain are perfectly proportional, following Hooke\u2019s law. This linear portion ends at the proportional limit, and its slope is the modulus of elasticity (Young\u2019s modulus), indicating the stiffness of the material. Within this range, deformation is fully elastic: once the load is removed, the material returns to its original shape.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>(Nonlinear region A-B): <\/strong>The material still behaves elastically \u2014 that is, deformation is fully recoverable, but the relationship becomes nonlinear, meaning Hooke\u2019s law no longer applies. Point B is therefore known as the elastic limit: it represents the maximum force the material can withstand elastically, and the region OB is called the elastic region.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Plastic Region (Point B onward)<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Yielding(B-C): <\/strong>After point B, the material enters the plastic region and deformation becomes permanent. Point B is also known as the upper yield point, where dislocations suddenly break free from their obstacles, so the required load briefly drops even as the material continues to stretch. The stress then falls to point C\u2014the lower yield point, at which the stress level remains nearly constant while the material keeps elongating in a permanent (plastic) way.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Note that clear \u201cupper \u2192 lower\u201d yield plateau (B\u2192C) is most obvious in low-carbon steels. Other alloys often transition more smoothly into plastic deformation without a pronounced stress dip.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Strain Hardening (C\u2013D):<\/strong> After point C, the material work hardens: as dislocations accumulate and interact, the metal\u2019s resistance to further flow increases. Although the section continues to thin and elongate, the increasing resistance to deformation drives the engineering stress higher until it reaches its maximum at point D\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/ultimate-tensile-strength\/\">the ultimate tensile strength<\/a> (UTS). This is the highest load the original gauge section can sustain under the test conditions.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Necking and Fracture (D\u2013E): <\/strong>Beyond point D, localized necking begins, causing a rapid reduction in cross-sectional area in one region. In an engineering stress\u2013strain curve, the recorded stress then falls as the material\u2019s load-carrying capacity declines. Eventually the necked region can no longer sustain the load, and the specimen fractures at point E. The strain at E represents the material\u2019s total elongation at failure.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Young's Modulus\uff1f<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Within the elastic region between O and A, the proportional relationship between stress and strain is defined by Young\u2019s modulus, also known as the modulus of elasticity or tensile modulus. This value quantifies a material\u2019s stiffness via Hooke\u2019s law:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>E = stress \/ strain<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Mathematically, that is:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>E = \u03c3 \/ \u03b5<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>where E is Young's modulus with unit Pa or N\/m2. The higher the modulus, the less a material deforms under a given stress.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples of Stress and Strain in Different Materials<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Different materials respond differently under load due to their unique stress\u2013strain behavior. Below are a few examples illustrating this in practice:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steel in Building Frames<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In high-rise buildings, structural steel I-beams and columns carry compressive stresses due to dead and live loads (design stresses are often limited to around 250 MPa). With a Young\u2019s modulus of 200 GPa, the corresponding elastic strain at yield is only 0.125% (\u03b5 = \u03c3\/E). Beyond the yield point, mild steel strain-hardens and can sustain plastic strains of 10\u201320% before fracture (ultimate tensile strength 400\u2013550 MPa). In practice, engineers use a safety factor between 1.5 and 2, keeping working stresses below 150 MPa to prevent buckling or permanent deformation.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aluminum in Aircraft Structures<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Aluminum alloys such as 2024-T3 and 7075-T6 experience alternating tensile and compressive stresses up to 300 MPa during takeoff, landing, and turbulence. Their modulus of 70 GPa produces elastic strains of 0.4\u20130.5%, roughly three times that of steel at the same stress. These alloys offer high ultimate strengths of 500\u2013600 MPa and total elongations of 10\u201315%. Fatigue life (between 10\u2076 and 10\u2077 cycles) is managed by monitoring strain amplitudes and crack-growth rates to ensure durability over the service life.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} -->\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rubber in Car Tires<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Rubber car tires undergo repeated cycles of tension and compression as they rotate and deform against the road surface. Rubber compounds have tensile strengths of 15\u201325 MPa and low elastic moduli (1\u201310 MPa), but exhibit reversible strains of 300\u2013600% (some high-performance formulations exceed 1 000%). This large recoverable deformation allows the tire to conform to road irregularities and absorb shocks. Designers also consider viscoelastic hysteresis (energy loss) and fatigue crack growth under millions of load cycles to ensure long-term durability and traction.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Stress-strain curves reveal key mechanical properties\u2014elastic modulus, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, ductility and toughness\u2014that guide material selection. By analyzing how stress distributes and induces strain, engineers predict deformations and verify that components remain safely in the elastic region, checking against limits like yield or buckling.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>At Chiggo, we combine deep materials expertise with advanced<a href=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/cnc-machining\/\"> CNC machining<\/a> to help bring your designs to life. Our team is ready to support your toughest projects as your trusted partner\u2014delivering quality and efficiency every step of the way. <a href=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/contact\/\">Contact us today to learn more<\/a>!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>1. What is the difference between engineering strain and true strain?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Engineering strain is calculated simply as the change in length divided by the original gauge length, assuming the gauge length remains nearly constant. True strain, by contrast, tracks each tiny length change relative to the specimen\u2019s continually changing length and integrates these incremental strains throughout the deformation process. For small deformations, the two are nearly equal. But as deformation increases, engineering strain underestimates the actual change, whereas true strain provides an exact measure.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>2. Is resilience the same as stiffness?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>No. Stiffness, quantified by Young\u2019s modulus, is the material\u2019s resistance to elastic deformation (the slope of the stress-strain curve). Resilience is the recoverable energy per unit volume that the material can absorb in that elastic range (the area under the curve up to yield).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stress and strain are two of the most important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Stress is the internal force per unit area within a material under load ,while strain is the deformation or change in shape of the material that results from the applied force. However, the relationship between stress and strain [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-material"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference? | Chiggo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Stress and strain are important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Learn more about the differences and relationship between these two here.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/stress-vs-strain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference? | Chiggo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Stress and strain are important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Learn more about the differences and relationship between these two here.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CNC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-18T04:04:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-18T04:05:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1242\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"617\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CNC\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CNC\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/\",\"name\":\"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference? | Chiggo\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-18T04:04:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-18T04:05:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c90fdbfb30ad220c5668dfa19631130a\"},\"description\":\"Stress and strain are important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Learn more about the differences and relationship between these two here.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png\",\"width\":1242,\"height\":617,\"caption\":\"Stress vs Strain\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Material\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/category\/material\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/\",\"name\":\"CNC\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c90fdbfb30ad220c5668dfa19631130a\",\"name\":\"CNC\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference? | Chiggo","description":"Stress and strain are important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Learn more about the differences and relationship between these two here.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/stress-vs-strain\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference? | Chiggo","og_description":"Stress and strain are important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Learn more about the differences and relationship between these two here.","og_url":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/","og_site_name":"CNC","article_published_time":"2025-07-18T04:04:55+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-18T04:05:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1242,"height":617,"url":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"CNC","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CNC","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/","url":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/","name":"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference? | Chiggo","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png","datePublished":"2025-07-18T04:04:55+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-18T04:05:01+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c90fdbfb30ad220c5668dfa19631130a"},"description":"Stress and strain are important concepts for describing how materials respond to forces. Learn more about the differences and relationship between these two here.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stress-vs-Strain.png","width":1242,"height":617,"caption":"Stress vs Strain"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/stress-vs-strain\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Material","item":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/category\/material\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Stress vs. Strain: What Is the Difference?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/","name":"CNC","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c90fdbfb30ad220c5668dfa19631130a","name":"CNC"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3573"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3573\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3593,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3573\/revisions\/3593"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiggofactory.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}