What is the relationship between stress and strain as per Hooke's Law?

Hooke's Law states that, within the elastic limit of a material, the strain experienced by that material is directly proportional to the stress applied to it. This means that if you double the amount of stress applied to a material, you will also double the amount of strain produced, as long as the material does not exceed its elastic limit.

This relationship is fundamental in understanding how materials deform under load and is key to various engineering applications. It allows engineers to predict how materials will behave when subjected to forces, ensuring that structures can be designed safely and effectively.

The direct proportionality exemplified by Hooke's Law is represented mathematically by the equation: stress = modulus of elasticity × strain. This linear relationship holds true for many materials up to a certain point, after which they may behave differently (non-linear behavior) or fail. Understanding this concept is crucial for anyone in power engineering and materials science.