Explore the question in detail with explanation, related questions, and community discussions.
Elasticity is a fundamental property of materials that measures their ability to return to their original shape and size after being deformed (stretched, compressed, or bent) when the external force is removed. The most elastic material is the one that can undergo deformation and completely regain its original form without permanent changes.Among the options provided—steel, rubber, glass, and sponge—the most elastic material is steel. This may seem surprising because rubber stretches more easily than steel. However, elasticity is not about how much a material stretches, but about how perfectly it returns to its original shape once the force is removed.
Steel has a very high modulus of elasticity (Young’s modulus), meaning it resists deformation strongly and regains its exact original shape when the stress is removed, as long as the elastic limit is not exceeded. Rubber, although flexible, does not return to its original state perfectly and loses energy as heat during stretching, making it less elastic in the scientific sense.
Analyzing the other options:
Rubber: Highly flexible, but not perfectly elastic.
Glass: Brittle; it shatters instead of deforming.
Sponge: Compressible but does not fully regain shape due to internal air gaps.
Steel: ✅ Scientifically the most elastic material among these options.
Thus, steel is the correct answer because true elasticity is about perfect recovery from deformation, and steel demonstrates this property better than rubber or other listed materials.
Discussion
Leave a Comment