What is the ability of a metal to resist fracture under a sudden load called?

The ability of a metal to resist fracture under a sudden load is referred to as impact strength. This property is crucial for materials that will experience dynamic forces or sudden impacts during their use, such as in construction, automotive applications, or manufacturing. Impact strength measures how well a material can absorb energy and withstand high-stress events without failing, making it essential in assessing a material's performance in real-world conditions where unexpected loads might be encountered.

Understanding the context of impact strength can help differentiate it from other related concepts. For example, fatigue strength refers to a material's ability to withstand repeated loading cycles over time without failing, while tensile strength pertains to how much pulling force a material can endure before it breaks. Yield strength indicates the maximum stress that a material can sustain without permanent deformation. Each of these properties plays its own role in assessing material performance, but in the case of sudden loads, impact strength is the most relevant.