National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Strain hardening, also known as work hardening, is a process in which a metal is subjected to plastic deformation, leading to an increase in its strength and hardness. As a result, the metal becomes less ductile and more rigid. This means that it is less likely to bend or deform under stress, but it also means that it is more prone to breaking or cracking. Therefore, option B - increase in elastic modulus - is the correct answer. Option A - toughness - is incorrect because strain hardening does not increase the ability of a metal to resist fracture or deformation. Options C and D - malleability and conductivity - are also incorrect because both of these properties are reduced by strain hardening.