ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the mechanical properties of materials. Some properties of solid materials are strength, elasticity, malleability, and ductility. A material's elastic limit is the maximum amount by which it can be stretched or compressed without it becoming permanently deformed. A stress applied to material results in a strain on the material. The longitudinal strain is the ratio of the change in length of a material to its original length. Elastic range is the material's elastic limit or the maximum amount by which it can be stretched or compressed without it becoming permanently deformed. A space elevator is a theoretical method of transportation for traveling from earth to space. It consists of a cable anchored to the earth at the equator, and stretching to space with a large mass attached to its end. Hardness of a material is determined by the interatomic forces between the atoms resisting a change in separation-distance with an applied force.
