Brittle materials in a toughness test will __________.

Brittle materials in a toughness test are characterized by their inability to deform significantly under stress before failure. Toughness is a measure of how much energy a material can absorb before fracturing; thus, brittle materials typically absorb minimal energy compared to ductile materials. When subjected to stress, brittle materials can fracture suddenly without experiencing much plastic deformation, leading to lower toughness values.

In contrast, ductile materials can undergo significant deformation and absorb much more energy before failure, exhibiting high toughness. This distinction makes it clear that the behavior of brittle materials under impact or load conditions is such that they resist energy absorption, highlighting their fragility in structural applications.