Final answer:
The ability of a metal to absorb energy is called toughness. It determines how well a material can withstand stress without breaking, and for metals like iron, this property is coupled with other physical characteristics like ductility and malleability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability of a metal to absorb energy is referred to as toughness. This property indicates how well a material can withstand stress without fracturing. When considering the given choices, the correct answer is d. toughness, which reflects the capacity of metals to absorb energy and deform without breaking. For instance, iron is a metal known for its electrical and thermal conductivity, shiny appearance, and other physical properties such as being solid at room temperature, ductility (ability to be drawn into wires), and malleability (ability to be pounded into thin sheets).