External tensile forces acting parallel but not in line produce _________ in an object.

External tensile forces that act parallel but are not in line with each other create shear stress in an object. Shear stress occurs when forces are applied in opposite directions on different sections of a material, leading to deformation along a plane. This type of stress is critical to understand when analyzing how materials respond to forces in practical applications, such as in structural components or mechanical systems.

For instance, if you have a beam that is being pushed at one end while the other end is held stationary, the forces create a sliding or shearing action along the beam. Shear stress is measured as the force applied per unit area and is essential when determining the strength and stability of materials under various load conditions.

Understanding shear stress is also key in preventing material failure in engineering designs, as excessive shear can lead to cracking or complete structural failure in components subjected to such forces.