What term refers to the force that attempts to deform an object?

The term "stress" refers to the internal resistance of a material to deformation when subjected to an external force. It is defined as the force applied per unit area within materials and is measured in units such as pascals (Pa) or pounds per square inch (psi). Stress arises when a load is applied to an object, leading to deformation or an internal response within the material. Understanding stress is crucial in engineering and manufacturing, as it helps to predict how materials will behave under various forces.

While tension, pressure, and load are related concepts in the context of forces and deformation, they do not specifically describe the internal response of the material. Tension is a type of force that can lead to stress, while pressure refers to the application of force over a specific area, and load describes the applied force itself. However, it is stress that characterizes the internal effect of that load on the material.