text: what is tensile strength?   tensile strength measures the force required to pull something such as rope, wire, or a structural beam to the point where it breaks.  specifically, the tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of tensile stress that it can be subjected to before failure. the definition of failure can vary according to material type and design methodology. this is an important concept in engineering, especially in the fields of material science, mechanical engineering and structural engineering.  there are three typical definitions of tensile strength:      * yield strength - the stress a material can withstand without permanent deformation.      * ultimate strength - the maximum stress a material can withstand.      * breaking strength - the stress coordinate on the stress-strain curve at the point of rupture.