What term describes the ability of a material to resist penetration?

The term that describes the ability of a material to resist penetration is hardness. Hardness specifically refers to a material's resistance to deformation, particularly permanent deformation, scratching, and penetration by other materials. This property is critical in various applications, where understanding how well a material can withstand wear and impact is essential for its usability in construction, manufacturing tools, or any instances where durability is required.

In engineering and materials science, hardness is often assessed through standardized tests, such as the Mohs scale, Brinell hardness test, or Rockwell hardness test. Materials that are harder tend to resist wear and result in longer-lasting performance in mechanical applications.

Stress relates to the internal forces per unit area within materials, strain describes the deformation experienced by a material when subjected to stress, and elastic limit refers to the maximum amount of stress that a material can withstand while still returning to its original shape after the load has been removed. While these terms are related to mechanical properties, they do not specifically refer to the ability to resist penetration like hardness does.