what is tensile strength

Tensile strength is the maximum stress that a material can withstand without breaking when it is stretched or pulled. It is measured in force per unit area, and its dimensions are force per unit area. In the English system of measurement, it is commonly expressed in units of pounds per square inch (psi) . Tensile strength is an important property of materials, and it is used to design members made of brittle materials because such materials have no yield point. There are different types of tensile strength, including yield strength, ultimate strength, and fracture strength. Yield strength is the maximum stress a material can endure beyond which it begins to permanently deform and is unable to return to its original dimensions, while ultimate strength is the maximum stress that a material can withstand before breaking.