Modulus of elasticity

How it is used

Used in material selection, deflection calculations and FEA. Often called Young's modulus and written E. A higher modulus means less deflection under the same load, but it does not mean higher strength.

Example sentences

1. Aluminum's modulus of elasticity is about one third of steel's, so the same bracket in aluminum will deflect about three times as much.

2. Enter the modulus of elasticity and Poisson's ratio of the material before you run the simulation.

Common collocations

• Young's modulus
• elastic modulus
• modulus of elasticity of steel
• Poisson's ratio

Related terms

• stiffnessHow much a part or structure resists bending, stretching or twisting under load. A stiff part deflects only a little; a flexible one deflects a lot.
• strainHow much a material stretches or shortens compared with its original length. It is a ratio with no unit and is often given in percent or in microstrain.
• stressThe internal force inside a material divided by the area it acts on. It shows how hard a part is being pulled, pushed, bent or twisted and is measured in MPa or psi.
• deflectionHow far a beam, shaft or other part bends or moves away from its original position when a load is applied, usually measured in millimeters.
• finite element analysisA computer method that divides a part into many small elements, called a mesh, to calculate stress, deflection, temperature or vibration under given loads.

More terms: Mechanics and Materials

• load
• torque
• yield strength
• fatigue
• bending moment
• factor of safety
• hardness
• friction
• ductile
• alloy