Which term defines an applied force that tends to cause opposite, parallel sliding of the planes within a material?

Which term defines an applied force that tends to cause opposite, parallel sliding of the planes within a material?

• A. Shear
• B. Tension
• C. Compression
• D. Fracture

Answer: (A)

Shear is the force that makes adjacent layers slide past one another in opposite directions while remaining on parallel planes. The force acts parallel to the plane between the layers, not perpendicular to it, so the material distorts by sliding its layers rather than being pulled apart or squeezed together. A familiar example is the way scissors cut through paper or how pages of a book can slide relative to each other if you push sideways. By contrast, tension pulls along the length to stretch the material, compression pushes along the length to shorten it, and fracture is the failure that happens when stresses exceed what the material can safely bear.

Shear is the force that makes adjacent layers slide past one another in opposite directions while remaining on parallel planes. The force acts parallel to the plane between the layers, not perpendicular to it, so the material distorts by sliding its layers rather than being pulled apart or squeezed together. A familiar example is the way scissors cut through paper or how pages of a book can slide relative to each other if you push sideways. By contrast, tension pulls along the length to stretch the material, compression pushes along the length to shorten it, and fracture is the failure that happens when stresses exceed what the material can safely bear.