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What are the 4 types of stress in physics?

GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer

The four main types of stress in physics are tensile stress, compressive stress, shear stress, and volumetric stress. Each type describes how forces act on materials in different ways.

Tensile stress stretches a material, compressive stress squeezes it, shear stress causes layers to slide past each other, and volumetric stress changes volume uniformly. Recognizing these stresses is critical in material design and structural safety.

General · Class 12