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Physics

Elasticity

Quick fact

The concept of elasticity was first quantified by Robert Hooke in 1660, who observed that for many materials, the amount of stretch is proportional to the applied force—a principle now known as Hooke's law.

Why this is interesting

Why does a rubber band snap back when you stretch it, but a paperclip stays bent? The answer lies in a property called elasticity, which governs how materials recover from deformation.