Ductility relates to deformation under tensile load; malleability relates to deformation under which load?

• A. Compressive
• B. Tensile
• C. Shear
• D. Torsional

Answer: (A)

Malleability is about how a material can plastically deform when it’s subjected to compressive forces, such as hammering, rolling, or pressing into a sheet. This kind of deformation under compression lets the material change shape without cracking, which is why malleable metals like gold can be rolled into very thin sheets.

Ductility, in contrast, describes the ability to deform under tensile (pulling) load, causing elongation. The other loads—shear or torsional twisting—are not the standard scenario used to define malleability.

So the deformation load most closely associated with malleability is compressive.