Engineering English
Modulus of Elasticity
Civil Engineering · Materials Engineering · Aerospace Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A material property that measures stiffness, defined as the ratio of normal stress to corresponding strain within the elastic range. It is essential for calculating deflections and predicting structural behavior.
Example in context
“The modulus of elasticity of normal-weight concrete is approximately 4700 times the square root of its compressive strength in MPa.”
“Normal ağırlıklı betonun elastisite modülü, MPa cinsinden basınç dayanımının karekökünün yaklaşık 4700 katıdır.”
Where engineers use it
This property appears in deflection calculations, stress analysis, and composite action design. Engineers use it to compute immediate and long-term deflections and to model structural response under service loads.
Synonyms: Young's modulus, elastic modulus
In Materials Engineering
A measure of a material's stiffness, defined as the ratio of stress to strain in the linear elastic region. A higher value means the material deflects less under a given load.
“Aluminium beams deflect roughly three times more than steel beams because their modulus of elasticity is about one third as large.”
In Aerospace Engineering
A material property that measures the ratio of stress to strain within the elastic range. It indicates the stiffness of a material and is often referred to as Young's modulus.
“The modulus of elasticity of carbon-fiber composites is much higher than that of aluminum, resulting in stiffer wing structures.”
Practice: can you use “Modulus of Elasticity” at work?
A client questions the deflection predictions of a concrete beam design. How would you justify the modulus of elasticity value you used from code formulas?
Show a model answer
“Use the modulus of elasticity to compute the deflection of the concrete beam.”
“Modulus of Elasticity” in 21 languages
| English | Modulus of Elasticity |
|---|---|
| Turkish | elastisite modülü |
| French | module d'élasticité |
| German | Elastizitätsmodul |
| Spanish | módulo de elasticidad |
| Chinese | 弹性模量 |
| Arabic | معامل المرونة |
| Portuguese | módulo de elasticidade |
| Russian | модуль упругости |
| Japanese | 弾性係数 |
| Italian | modulo di elasticità |
| Vietnamese | mô đun đàn hồi |
| Hindi | प्रत्यास्थता मापांक |
| Thai | โมดูลัสความยืดหยุ่น |
| Indonesian | modulus elastisitas |
| Korean | 탄성계수 |
| Bengali | স্থিতিস্থাপকতা মাপক |
| Dutch | elasticiteitsmodulus |
| Swedish | elasticitetsmodul |
| Finnish | kimmokerroin |
| Ukrainian | модуль пружності |
Frequently asked questions
What does Modulus of Elasticity mean in engineering?
A material property that measures stiffness, defined as the ratio of normal stress to corresponding strain within the elastic range. It is essential for calculating deflections and predicting structural behavior. In Civil Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Modulus of Elasticity?
Modulus of Elasticity is pronounced /ˈmɒdʒʊləs ɒv ˌɛlæˈstɪsɪti/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Modulus of Elasticity used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The modulus of elasticity of normal-weight concrete is approximately 4700 times the square root of its compressive strength in MPa.”
This entry is one of 7,806 terms in the Engineering English iOS app — with quizzes, spaced repetition and pronunciation checking.
Get the app on the App Store