Which statement defines compression?

Which statement defines compression?

• A. The stress that causes a material to flatten or crush
• B. A stress that causes the material to pull apart or stretch
• C. The stress that causes a material to tear or slide apart
• D. The stress that causes a material to twist

Answer: (A)

Compression is the stress that pushes on a material from opposite directions, causing it to shorten or flatten. The statement describing compression as the stress that makes a material flatten or crush captures both the direction of the forces (pushing together) and the typical result (shortening and thickening). In contrast, pulling apart or stretching describes tension, tearing or sliding apart describes shear, and twisting describes torsion.

Compression is the stress that pushes on a material from opposite directions, causing it to shorten or flatten. The statement describing compression as the stress that makes a material flatten or crush captures both the direction of the forces (pushing together) and the typical result (shortening and thickening). In contrast, pulling apart or stretching describes tension, tearing or sliding apart describes shear, and twisting describes torsion.