modulus of elasticity

American  

noun

Physics.

1. any of several coefficients of elasticity of a body, expressing the ratio between a stress or force per unit area that acts to deform the body and the corresponding fractional deformation caused by the stress.

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modulus of elasticity British  

noun

1. Also called: elastic modulus.  the ratio of the stress applied to a body or substance to the resulting strain within the elastic limit See also Young's modulus bulk modulus modulus of rigidity

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modulus of elasticity Scientific  

1. The ratio of the stress applied to a body to the strain that results in the body in response to it. The modulus of elasticity of a material is a measure of its stiffness and for most materials remains constant over a range of stress.

2. ◆ The ratio of the longitudinal strain to the longitudinal stress is called Young's modulus.

3. ◆ The ratio of the stress on the body to the body's fractional decrease in volume is the bulk modulus.

4. ◆ The ratio of the tangential force per unit area to the angular deformation in radians is the shear modulus.

5. See also Hooke's law

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Etymology

Origin of modulus of elasticity

First recorded in 1800–10

Compare meaning

How does modulus-of-elasticity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Young's modulus vs. modulus of elasticity

Example Sentences

Working in pairs, the students are required to determine the modulus of elasticity of the material they drew.

From Time Magazine Archive

Why should frightfully complex formulas be proposed, which bring in the unknowable modulus of elasticity of concrete and can only be solved by stages or dependence on the calculations of some one else?

From Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design American Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions, Paper No. 1169, Volume LXX, Dec. 1910 by Godfrey, Edward

Owing to the yielding of joints when a beam is first loaded a smaller modulus of elasticity should be taken than for a solid bar.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various

Of course a wonderful agreement between the double-refined theory and test can generally be effected by "hunching" the modulus of elasticity to suit.

From Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design American Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions, Paper No. 1169, Volume LXX, Dec. 1910 by Godfrey, Edward

Point 11.—The writer has never designed a reinforced concrete chimney, but if he ever has to do so, he will surely not use any formula that is dependent on the modulus of elasticity of concrete.

From Some Mooted Questions in Reinforced Concrete Design American Society of Civil Engineers, Transactions, Paper No. 1169, Volume LXX, Dec. 1910 by Godfrey, Edward