Define the term Young's Modulus of Elasticity. - Leaving Cert Engineering - Question g - 2009

Young's Modulus, denoted as $E$, is a measure of the stiffness of a material. It is defined as the ratio of stress to strain within the elastic limit of the material. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:

$E = \frac{\text{Stress}}{\text{Strain}}$

Where stress is the force applied per unit area (in kN/mm²), and strain is the deformation per unit length (dimensionless). This ratio provides insight into how much a material will deform under a given load, thereby indicating its stiffness.