Tenacity

Tenacity is that property of matter by which it resists being pulled asunder. Liquids and gases have no tenacity. In technical language, the tenacity of a substance is the greatest longitudinal stress that it can bear without being torn asunder. For example, steel bars have a tenacity of between 50 and 60 tons weight per square inch, whereas oak has a tenacity of not quite 7. With regard to metals it is found that forging and wire-drawing increase their tenacity. See STRENGTH OF MATERIALS.