Elasticity
Elasticity (ē`las*tis"i*ty) , noun
[Compare French élasticité.]
1.
The quality of being elastic; the inherent property in bodies by which they recover their former figure or dimensions, after the removal of external pressure or altering force; springiness; resilience; tendency to rebound; as, the elasticity of caoutchouc; the elasticity of the air.
2.
Power of resistance to, or recovery from, depression or overwork; -- usually referred to as resilience[3].
Collocations (2)
Coefficient of elasticity , the quotient of a stress (of a given kind), by the strain (of a given kind) which it produces; -- called also coefficient of resistance.
Surface of elasticity (Geometry) , the pedal surface of an ellipsoid (see Pedal); a surface used in explaining the phenomena of double refraction and their relation to the elastic force of the luminous ether in crystalline media.