Low toughness is analogous to which material property?

• A. Ductility
• B. Elasticity
• C. Brittleness
• D. Strength

Answer: (C)

Toughness describes how much energy a material can absorb before it fractures. When toughness is low, the material cannot absorb much energy and tends to crack and fail with little or no plastic deformation—this is the hallmark of brittleness. So, the property that best matches low toughness is brittleness.

Ductility, the ability to undergo significant plastic deformation before fracture, usually implies higher toughness, not lower. Elasticity is about reversible, non-permanent deformation and doesn’t address energy absorbed up to fracture. Strength is about the stress level required to fail, which doesn’t directly indicate how much energy the material can absorb prior to breaking. (Note that some materials can be strong yet brittle, meaning high strength does not guarantee high toughness.)