If a material is stretched beyond its elastic limit, what happens?

If a material is stretched beyond its elastic limit, what happens?

Step 1: Understand what the elastic limit is. It is the maximum amount a material can be stretched without changing its shape permanently.
Step 2: When a material is stretched within its elastic limit, it can return to its original shape once the force is removed.
Step 3: If the material is stretched beyond this limit, it cannot return to its original shape.
Step 4: This means the material will have a permanent change in shape or size, known as permanent deformation.

Elastic Limit – The maximum extent to which a material can be stretched without undergoing permanent deformation.
Permanent Deformation – The change in shape or size of a material that remains after the removal of the applied stress.