What property of metal allows it to withstand sudden shock or bends without fracturing?

Toughness is the property of metal that allows it to absorb energy and withstand sudden shocks or bending forces without fracturing. This characteristic is crucial in applications where materials are subjected to dynamic forces or impacts. A material that is tough can undergo some deformation without breaking, which is particularly important in structural applications and manufacturing processes where the metal may face unexpected loads.

The toughness of a material is a combination of strength and ductility—the ability to deform under stress. Metals with high toughness can endure significant stress and strain before failure, making them suitable for construction and heavy machinery.

In contrast, hardness refers to a material’s resistance to deforming or scratching, strength denotes its ability to resist deformation or failure under an applied force, and brittleness describes a material's tendency to break or shatter under stress without significant deformation. Thus, while each of the other properties is important in evaluating metal performance, only toughness directly addresses the ability to withstand sudden shocks or bends without fracturing.