Tension

Tension may mean:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• In physics, tension is a force on a body directed to produce strain (extension); it can be considered to be negative compression. It is measured in according units (newton, dynes, pounds-force, etc). Tension is the dominant static force acting on such objects as a vibrating string or a stretched rubber band.

:Hooke's law states the relation between the stress on an object and the resultant increase in its length. The modulus of elasticity of a spring or elastic string can be used to calculate the force it exerts under a specific extension.

Related Topics:
Hooke's law - Modulus of elasticity

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• The word 'tension' is also sometimes used to refer to electrical voltage; this is the usage in the term high-tension line.
• Colloquially, 'tension' is used to refer to physiological or mental stress.
• In music tension is the perceived need for relaxation or release (Sturm und Drang) created by a listener's expectations as well as dissonance, repetition, tempo, a gradual rise in pitch, and other factors.
• In phonetics, tenseness describes a certain sound quality.
 
Tension: See also ►