Question

In a fracture strain, a rock unit will break or crack. In elastic and plastic strain, no cracking occurs. The difference between elastic and plastic strain is that in elastic strain, the rock ___.

Answer 1

In elastic strain, rocks return to their original shape after stress is removed, but in plastic strain, rocks maintain a permanent deformation and do not recover their original form, even when the stress is removed.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference between elastic and plastic strain is that in elastic strain, the rock returns to its original shape after the stress is removed, whereas in plastic strain, the rock does not return to its original shape and instead maintains a permanent deformation. When a rock experiences elastic strain, the deformation it undergoes is reversible up to a certain stress limit, known as the elastic limit. Beyond this point, if the stress continues to increase, the rock will then undergo plastic deformation where it permanently deforms and will not recover its original form even when the stress is removed. This behavior of rocks is critical in understanding geological features such as folds and faults, as well as the conditions that lead to rock fracturing.

Answer 2

Recovers its shape after the stress is removed but in plastic strain it does not