Ductility

A measure of the degree of plastic deformation at fracture.

Most metals are ductile. Ductile materials have high tensile strength.

Percentage Elongation

lfl0l0×100\frac{l_f - l_0}{l_0} \times 100%

Percentage Reduction in Area

A0AfA0×100\frac{A_0 - A_f}{A_0} \times 100%

Brittle

A material that experiences very little or no plastic deformation.

Brittleness order: Ionic bonds > Covalent bonds > Metallic bonds

Malleability

Ability of a material to undergo plastic deformation under compression.

Ductility & Brittleness

Depends on:

  • Composition of the material
  • Temperature
Written by September 13, 2026 1 min read
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