Which term describes the capacity of a material or element to resist being pushed together?

Which term describes the capacity of a material or element to resist being pushed together?

• A. Compression
• B. Tension
• C. Dead load
• D. Live loads

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how a material behaves under axial pushing forces. When forces push the ends of a member toward each other, the material’s capacity to resist that pushing is its compression resistance, or simply compression. Tension is about resisting pulling apart, which is the opposite scenario. Dead load and live loads refer to types of loads a structure must support, not the material’s response to compression. So the term that matches “capacity to resist being pushed together” is compression.

The main idea is how a material behaves under axial pushing forces. When forces push the ends of a member toward each other, the material’s capacity to resist that pushing is its compression resistance, or simply compression. Tension is about resisting pulling apart, which is the opposite scenario. Dead load and live loads refer to types of loads a structure must support, not the material’s response to compression. So the term that matches “capacity to resist being pushed together” is compression.