Stress vs. Strain — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 17, 2024
Stress is the force per unit area within materials, arising from externally applied forces; strain describes the deformation of the material as a response, measured as the displacement between particles relative to the rest length.
Difference Between Stress and Strain
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Stress refers to the internal force divided by the area over which the force is distributed, typically measured in units such as Pascals (Pa). Strain, on the other hand, is a dimensionless measure of deformation representing the displacement between particles in the material body relative to a reference length.
While stress is a physical quantity that quantifies the internal forces that neighboring particles of a continuous material exert on each other, strain is a measure of how much a material gets stretched or compressed under a load. It is often expressed as a change in dimension over the original dimension.
Stress can be categorized into different types such as tensile, compressive, and shear stress, depending on the direction of the applied force. Whereas strain types include tensile strain, compressive strain, and shear strain, which describe the changes in material dimensions in response to the corresponding stresses.
The stress a material experiences can lead to temporary or permanent deformation depending on the material’s properties and the amount of force applied. Strain, on the other hand, simply describes the extent of deformation without indicating whether it is recoverable or permanent.
While stress analysis is critical for ensuring that materials will withstand operational loads without failing, strain measurements are often used to predict material behavior under such loads, including potential points of failure.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Internal force per unit area within a material.
Deformation or displacement per unit length within a material.
Measurement Units
Pascals (Pa), psi
Dimensionless (ratio)
Types
Tensile, compressive, shear
Tensile, compressive, shear
Dependent on
Material properties, applied forces
Stress and material properties
Physical Representation
Does not necessarily produce visible changes
Often visible as elongation, compression, or distortion
Compare with Definitions
Stress
Stress is the internal resistance of a material to external forces.
The bridge underwent significant stress during the earthquake.
Strain
Strain refers to the deformation or displacement in the material body caused by applied stress.
The metal exhibited a strain under the applied load.
Stress
Stress refers to the pressure or tension exerted on a material.
Engineers measure the stress in building materials to ensure safety.
Strain
Strain measures how much a material stretches or compresses.
High strain can indicate a risk of structural failure.
Stress
Stress is used to describe the intensity of internal forces acting within a compressed, stretched, or bent object.
The column must withstand both the stress of weight and wind.
Strain
Strain quantifies the deformation of materials without implying failure.
Despite the strain, the bridge maintained its integrity.
Stress
Stress is the force per unit area within structures or materials.
Increasing the stress on a metal rod can test its tensile strength.
Strain
Strain is a dimensionless measure of deformation representing the ratio of change in dimension to original dimension.
Engineers calculate strain to assess material deformations.
Stress
In physics, stress is a quantity expressing the magnitude of internal forces distributed within a material.
The stress distribution along the beam was uneven.
Strain
In materials science, strain is the relative change in shape or size due to externally applied forces.
Measuring strain helps predict material behavior under stress.
Stress
Pressure or tension exerted on a material object
The distribution of stress is uniform across the bar
Strain
To pull, draw, or stretch tight
The heavy load strained the rope.
Stress
A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances
He's obviously under a lot of stress
Stress-related illnesses
Strain
(Physics) To cause distortion of (a body's parts or shape) by applying an external force; deform.
Stress
Physiological disturbance or damage caused to an organism by adverse circumstances
In many areas irrigation is warranted to avoid plant stress
Strain
To exert, use, or tax to the utmost
Straining our ears to hear.
Stress
Particular emphasis or importance
He has started to lay greater stress on the government's role in industry
Strain
To injure or impair by overuse or overexertion; wrench
Strain a muscle.
Stress
Give particular emphasis or importance to (a point, statement, or idea) made in speech or writing
They stressed the need for reform
‘I want it done very, very neatly,’ she stressed
She was anxious to stress that her daughter's safety was her only concern
Strain
To damage or weaken by pressure or tension
Winds that strained the mast.
Stress
Subject to pressure or tension
This type of workout does stress the shoulder and knee joints
Strain
To force beyond the proper or reasonable limit
An excuse that strains credulity.
Stress
Cause mental or emotional strain or tension in
I avoid many of the things that used to stress me before
Strain
To pass (a liquid) through a filtering agent such as a strainer.
Stress
Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
Strain
To draw off or remove by filtration
Strained the pulp from the juice.
Stress
The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
Strain
(Archaic) To embrace or clasp tightly; hug.
Stress
The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.
Strain
To make strong or steady efforts; strive hard
Straining to complete the coursework.
Stress
The relative force of sound or emphasis given a syllable or word in accordance with a metrical pattern.
Strain
To contract or exert one's muscles to the utmost.
Stress
A syllable having strong relative emphasis in a metrical pattern.
Strain
To pull or push forcibly or violently
The dog strained at its leash.
Stress
An accent or mark representing such emphasis or force.
Strain
To be or become wrenched or twisted
The flagpole straining in the wind.
Stress
The internal distribution of force per unit area within a body subject to an applied force or system of forces.
Strain
To be subjected to great stress
With such busy lives, the marriage can strain.
Stress
The internal resistance of a body to such an applied force or system of forces.
Strain
To pass through a filtering agent
The muddy water strains slowly.
Stress
A condition of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain
"He presided over the economy during the period of its greatest stress and danger" (Robert J. Samuelson).
Strain
The act of straining.
Stress
A condition of physiological or psychological disturbance to the normal functioning or well-being of an organism, occurring as a response to any of various environmental or psychosocial stimuli. Signs and symptoms of stress in humans include increased blood pressure, insomnia, and irritability.
Strain
The state of being strained
The strain on the cable.
Stress
A stimulus or circumstance causing such a condition
Couldn't stand the stresses of the job and quit.
Strain
Extreme or laborious effort, exertion, or work
Moved the sofa with little strain.
Stress
To place emphasis on
Stressed basic fire safety in her talk.
Strain
A great or excessive demand or stress on one's body, mind, or resources
The strain of managing both a family and a career.
Stress
To give prominence of sound to (a syllable or word) in pronouncing or in accordance with a metrical pattern.
Strain
The state of being subjected to such demands or stresses
Trying to work under great strain.
Stress
(Informal) To subject to physiological or mental stress or strain. Often used with out
The pressure of the deadline is really stressing me out.
Strain
A wrench, twist, or other physical injury resulting from excessive tension, effort, or use.
Stress
To subject to mechanical pressure or force.
Strain
(Physics) Any of several kinds of deformation of the dimensions of a body when subjected to stress, as axial strain or elastic strain.
Stress
To undergo physiological or mental stress, as from working too much. Often used with out.
Strain
An exceptional degree or pitch
A strain of zealous idealism.
Stress
(biology) A physical, chemical, infective agent aggressing an organism.
Strain
A group of bacteria or viruses that are genetically distinct from other groups of the same species.
Stress
(biology) Aggression toward an organism resulting in a response in an attempt to restore previous conditions.
Strain
A group of cultivated plants or domestic animals of the same species that have distinctive characteristics but are not considered a separate breed or variety.
Stress
The internal distribution of force across a small boundary per unit area of that boundary (pressure) within a body. It causes strain or deformation and is typically symbolised by σ or τ.
Strain
The collective descendants of a common ancestor; a race, stock, line, or breed.
Stress
Force externally applied to a body which cause internal stress within the body.
Strain
Any of the various lines of ancestry united in an individual or a family; ancestry or lineage.
Stress
(uncountable) Emotional pressure suffered by a human being or other animal.
Go easy on him, he's been under a lot of stress lately.
Strain
A kind or sort
Imaginings of a morbid strain.
Stress
A suprasegmental feature of a language having additional attention raised to a sound, word or word group by means of of loudness, duration or pitch; phonological prominence.
Some people put the stress on the first syllable of “controversy”; others put it on the second.
Strain
An inborn or inherited tendency or character
A strain of eccentricity in the family.
Stress
The suprasegmental feature of a language having additional attention raised to a sound by means of of loudness and/or duration; phonological prominence phonetically achieved by means of dynamics as distinct from pitch.
Strain
An inherent quality; a streak
"his upper-caste father, placid, inactive, with a strain of asceticism" (V.S. Naipaul).
Stress
(uncountable) Emphasis placed on a particular point in an argument or discussion (whether spoken or written).
Strain
The tone, tenor, or substance of a verbal utterance or of a particular action or behavior
Spoke in a passionate strain.
Stress
Obsolete form of distress
Strain
Often strains(Music) A passage of expression; a tune or an air
Melodic strains of the violin.
Stress
Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained.
Strain
A passage of poetic and especially lyrical expression.
Stress
(transitive) To apply force to (a body or structure) causing strain.
Strain
An outburst or a flow of eloquent or impassioned language.
Stress
(transitive) To apply emotional pressure to (a person or animal).
Strain
(archaic) Race; lineage, pedigree.
Stress
To suffer stress; to worry or be agitated.
Strain
(biology) A particular variety of a microbe, virus, or other organism, usually a taxonomically infraspecific one.
They say this year's flu virus is a particularly virulent strain.
Stress
(transitive) To emphasise (a syllable of a word).
“Emphasis” is stressed on the first syllable, but “emphatic” is stressed on the second.
Strain
(figurative) Hereditary character, quality, tendency, or disposition.
There is a strain of madness in her family.
Stress
(transitive) To emphasise (words in speaking).
Strain
Any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, etc.
Stress
(transitive) To emphasise (a point) in an argument or discussion.
I must stress that this information is given in strict confidence.
Strain
Language that is eloquent, poetic, or otherwise heightened.
Stress
Distress.
Sad hersal of his heavy stress.
Strain
(rare) A kind or sort (of person etc.).
Stress
Pressure, strain; - used chiefly of immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance; weight; significance.
The faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet they must not be put to a stress beyond their strength.
A body may as well lay too little as too much stress upon a dream.
Strain
(obsolete) Treasure.
Stress
The force, or combination of forces, which produces a strain; force exerted in any direction or manner between contiguous bodies, or parts of bodies, and taking specific names according to its direction, or mode of action, as thrust or pressure, pull or tension, shear or tangential stress.
Stress is the mutual action between portions of matter.
Strain
(obsolete) The blood-vessel in the yolk of an egg.
Stress
Force of utterance expended upon words or syllables. Stress is in English the chief element in accent and is one of the most important in emphasis. See Guide to pronunciation, 31-35.
Strain
The act of straining, or the state of being strained.
Stress
Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained.
Strain
A violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles.
He jumped up with a strain
The strain upon the sailboat's rigging
Stress
To press; to urge; to distress; to put to difficulties.
Strain
An injury resulting from violent effort; a sprain.
Stress
To subject to stress, pressure, or strain.
Strain
A dimensionless measure of object deformation either referring to engineering strain or true strain.
Stress
To subject to phonetic stress; to accent.
Strain
(obsolete) The track of a deer.
Stress
To place emphasis on; to make emphatic; emphasize.
Strain
(obsolete) To hold tightly, to clasp.
Stress
The relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch);
He put the stress on the wrong syllable
Strain
To apply a force or forces to by stretching out.
To strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship
Relations between the United States and Guatemala traditionally have been close, although at times strained by human rights and civil/military issues.
Stress
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense;
He suffered from fatigue and emotional tension
Stress is a vasoconstrictor
Strain
To damage by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force.
The gale strained the timbers of the ship.
Stress
(physics) force that produces strain on a physical body;
The intensity of stress is expressed in units of force divided by units of area
Strain
To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as when bending a beam.
Stress
Special emphasis attached to something;
The stress was more on accuracy than on speed
Strain
To exert or struggle (to do something), especially to stretch (one's senses, faculties etc.) beyond what is normal or comfortable.
Sitting in back, I strained to hear the speaker.
Stress
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension;
She endured the stresses and strains of life
He presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger
Strain
To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in terms of intent or meaning.
To strain the law in order to convict an accused person
Stress
To stress, single out as important;
Dr. Jones emphasizes exercise in addition to a change in diet
Strain
(transitive) To separate solid from liquid by passing through a strainer or colander
Stress
Put stress on; utter with an accent;
In Farsi, you accent the last syllable of each word
Strain
(intransitive) To percolate; to be filtered.
Water straining through a sandy soil
Stress
Test the limits of;
You are trying my patience!
Strain
To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain.
Strain
To urge with importunity; to press.
To strain a petition or invitation
Strain
(transitive) hug somebody; to hold somebody tightly.
Strain
(obsolete) To beget, generate (of light), engender, copulate (both of animals and humans), lie with, be born, come into the world.
A man straineth, liveth, then dieth.
Man, look at that cat straining that kitty.
Strain
Race; stock; generation; descent; family.
He is of a noble strain.
With animals and plants a cross between different varieties, or between individuals of the same variety but of another strain, gives vigor and fertility to the offspring.
Strain
Hereditary character, quality, or disposition.
Intemperance and lust breed diseases, which, propogated, spoil the strain of nation.
Strain
Rank; a sort.
Strain
A cultural subvariety that is only slightly differentiated.
Strain
The act of straining, or the state of being strained.
Strain
A violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles; as, he lifted the weight with a strain; the strain upon a ship's rigging in a gale; also, the hurt or injury resulting; a sprain.
Whether any poet of our country since Shakespeare has exerted a greater variety of powers with less strain and less ostentation.
Credit is gained by custom, and seldom recovers a strain.
Strain
A portion of music divided off by a double bar; a complete musical period or sentence; a movement, or any rounded subdivision of a movement.
Their heavenly harps a lower strain began.
Strain
A change of form or dimensions of a solid or liquid mass, produced by a stress.
Strain
Any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, oration, book, etc.; theme; motive; manner; style; also, a course of action or conduct; as, he spoke in a noble strain; there was a strain of woe in his story; a strain of trickery appears in his career.
Such take too high a strain at first.
The genius and strain of the book of Proverbs.
It [Pilgrim's Progress] seems a novelty, and yet containsNothing but sound and honest gospel strains.
Strain
Turn; tendency; inborn disposition. Cf. 1st Strain.
Because heretics have a strain of madness, he applied her with some corporal chastisements.
Strain
To draw with force; to extend with great effort; to stretch; as, to strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship; to strain the cords of a musical instrument.
Strain
To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as forces on a beam to bend it.
Strain
To exert to the utmost; to ply vigorously.
He sweats,Strains his young nerves.
They strain their warbling throatsTo welcome in the spring.
Strain
To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in the matter of intent or meaning; as, to strain the law in order to convict an accused person.
There can be no other meaning in this expression, however some may pretend to strain it.
Strain
To injure by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force; as, the gale strained the timbers of the ship.
Strain
To injure in the muscles or joints by causing to make too strong an effort; to harm by overexertion; to sprain; as, to strain a horse by overloading; to strain the wrist; to strain a muscle.
Prudes decayed about may track,Strain their necks with looking back.
Strain
To squeeze; to press closely.
Evander with a close embraceStrained his departing friend.
Strain
To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain.
He talks and plays with Fatima, but his mirthIs forced and strained.
The quality of mercy is not strained.
Strain
To urge with importunity; to press; as, to strain a petition or invitation.
Note, if your lady strain his entertainment.
Strain
To press, or cause to pass, through a strainer, as through a screen, a cloth, or some porous substance; to purify, or separate from extraneous or solid matter, by filtration; to filter; as, to strain milk through cloth.
Strain
To make violent efforts.
To build his fortune I will strain a little.
Strain
To percolate; to be filtered; as, water straining through a sandy soil.
Strain
(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
Strain
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension;
She endured the stresses and strains of life
He presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger
Strain
A succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence;
She was humming an air from Beethoven
Strain
(psychology) nervousness resulting from mental stress;
His responsibilities were a constant strain
The mental strain of staying alert hour after hour was too much for him
Strain
A special variety of domesticated animals within a species;
He experimented on a particular breed of white rats
He created a new strain of sheep
Strain
(biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups;
A new strain of microorganisms
Strain
A lineage or race of people
Strain
Injury to a muscle (often caused by overuse); results in swelling and pain
Strain
Pervading note of an utterance;
I could follow the general tenor of his argument
Strain
An effortful attempt to attain a goal
Strain
An intense or violent exertion
Strain
The act of singing;
With a shout and a song they marched up to the gates
Strain
To exert much effort or energy;
Straining our ears to hear
Strain
Test the limits of;
You are trying my patience!
Strain
Use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity;
He really extended himself when he climbed Kilimanjaro
Don't strain your mind too much
Strain
Separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements;
Sift the flour
Strain
Make tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious;
Strain
Stretch or force to the limit;
Strain the rope
Strain
Remove by passing through a filter;
Filter out the impurities
Strain
Rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender;
Puree the vegetables for the baby
Strain
Alter the shape of (something) by stress;
His body was deformed by leprosy
Common Curiosities
What is strain?
Strain is the measure of deformation of a material expressed as the relative change in size or shape.
Can materials recover from strain?
Depending on the material and the type of strain (elastic or plastic), materials may recover their original shape or suffer permanent deformation.
What are typical units for measuring stress?
Stress is typically measured in Pascals (Pa) or pounds per square inch (psi).
What kinds of strain can materials experience?
Materials can experience tensile, compressive, and shear strains depending on the nature of the applied stress.
How are stress and strain related?
Strain occurs as a result of stress applied to a material, reflecting how the material deforms under stress.
What role does strain play in material testing?
Strain measurements are crucial in material testing to determine the material’s behavior under various stress conditions and to predict failure points.
Are there instruments to measure strain directly?
Yes, devices like strain gauges are specifically designed to measure the amount of strain in a material.
What is stress?
Stress is the internal force per unit area exerted within materials when external forces are applied.
Is strain a measure of damage?
Strain itself is not a measure of damage but rather of deformation; it indicates how much a material has deformed under stress.
What causes stress in materials?
Stress in materials can be caused by external forces such as loads, pressure, temperature changes, and other environmental factors.
Can all materials withstand the same amount of stress and strain?
No, different materials have varying strength and flexibility, influencing their ability to withstand stress and strain.
What kinds of stress are there?
The main types of stress are tensile, compressive, and shear.
How do engineers use stress and strain in designs?
Engineers use stress and strain calculations to ensure that structures and materials can handle expected loads without failure.
What is an example of a situation where understanding stress and strain is critical?
Understanding stress and strain is critical in aerospace engineering, where materials must endure extreme forces and temperatures without failing.
How can stress lead to failure in materials?
Excessive stress can exceed the strength of a material, leading to failure such as fractures, cracks, or irreversible deformations.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
