Tensile testing.
A tensile test stretches a specifically shaped sample while recording pulling force and length, measuring the material's strength and ductility.
Tensile testing pulls a material until it breaks.
A testing machine holds both ends of a standardized "dog bone" shape in its grips and pulls them apart under controlled tension. A load cell records the pulling force, while the machine measures how much the sample stretches using an extensometer attached directly to the sample.
The raw data are converted into a stress and strain curve. This graph shows stiffness (or the elastic modulus, E), the start of permanent deformation (yield strength, S_y), maximum strength (also called Ultimate Tensile Strength, UTS), and how far the material can stretch before breaking.
The dimensions and edge smoothness of the sample matter because scratches, even tiny ones, can start cracks early. Since the test destroys the sample, researchers generally test several matching specimens and compare the results.
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