A tensile test, also known as tension test, is probably the most fundamental type of mechanical test you can perform on material. Tensile tests are simple, relatively inexpensive, and fully standardized. By pulling on something, you will very quickly determine how the material will react to forces being applied in tension. As the material is being pulled, you will find its strength along with how much it will elongate. Tensile testing is one of the more basic tests to determine stress-strain relationships. A simple uniaxial test consists of slowly pulling a sample of material in tension until it breaks.

Tensile testing is one of the more basic tests to determine stress-strain relationships.Test specimens for tensile testing are generally either circular or rectangular with larger ends to facilitate gripping the sample.