What type of stress occurs when a material is compressed?

Compressive stress refers to the internal resistance of a material to deformation when it is subjected to compression. This stress occurs when forces are applied in a way that tends to reduce the volume of the material. In structural applications, compressive stress is critical because it helps determine how materials behave under loads that push or pull them together.

When a material experiences compressive forces, the molecules are forced closer together, leading to deformation that reduces the material's size along the direction of the applied force. This is opposed to tensile stress, which occurs when a material is under tension and tends to elongate.

In various engineering applications, such as in beams or columns, understanding compressive stress is vital for ensuring structural integrity and preventing failure due to buckling or crushing under load. Knowledge of how materials react under different types of stress is essential for selecting the appropriate materials and designing safe structures.