Final answer:
The ability of a metal to resist strain when stress is applied is due to its ductility. Metals can undergo deformation within the elastic limit without permanent change, and the structure of mobile electrons helps them absorb and redistribute stress more efficiently than materials like ionic compounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The property that enables a metal to resist strain when a stress is applied is known as ductility. Metals are ductile, meaning they can be drawn into wires without breaking. This is possible thanks to the metallic bonding model which suggests that the mobile electrons in the metal's structure act as a buffer that allows the metal atoms to slide past each other without losing overall cohesion. This can be likened to ball bearings coated with oil sliding past one another, facilitating the malleable and ductile nature of metals.
When a force is applied to a metal, it can withstand a certain amount of stress up to its elastic limit. Within this limit, any deformation is temporary, and the material will return to its original shape once the force is removed. Beyond this limit, the material undergoes plastic deformation and exhibits changes that are permanent. Metals, being ductile, show a property where they become easier to deform as they are stressed beyond the elastic limit, right up to the point of breaking.
The lattice structure of a metal, formed by atoms in close contact, enables it to resist compression and maintains shape under stress. Under a stress-strain diagram, typical for ductile metals, there's an initial linear relationship between stress and strain, followed by a non-linear phase where the metal can still deform without fracturing. The ability to absorb and dissipate energy through rearrangements of atomic positions without fracturing contributes to a metal's resilience against strain.