Which statement defines tension?

Which statement defines tension?

• A. The stress that causes A material to tear or slide apart
• B. The stress that causes a material to flatten or crush
• C. The stress that causes a material to twist
• D. Load is imposed through the center of the material

Answer: (A)

Tension is a type of stress that pulls a material apart along its length. When forces act at the ends of a member in opposite directions, the material is stretched, tending to elongate and potentially tear or slide apart along its length. That emphasis on pulling and elongation is what defines tension. The other statements describe different situations: compression causes flattening or crushing, torsion causes twisting, and saying the load is imposed through the center speaks to how the load is applied rather than what tension is.

Tension is a type of stress that pulls a material apart along its length. When forces act at the ends of a member in opposite directions, the material is stretched, tending to elongate and potentially tear or slide apart along its length. That emphasis on pulling and elongation is what defines tension. The other statements describe different situations: compression causes flattening or crushing, torsion causes twisting, and saying the load is imposed through the center speaks to how the load is applied rather than what tension is.