Enter the original length and strain into the calculator to determine the elongation of a material. The calculator helps in understanding how much a material stretches under stress.

Elongation Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the elongation of a material.

E = L₀ * ε

Variables:

  • E is the elongation (units)
  • L₀ is the original length of the material (units)
  • ε is the strain (no units), which is the ratio of the change in length to the original length

To calculate the elongation, multiply the original length of the material by the strain.

What is Elongation?

Elongation is a measure of how much a material can stretch or elongate under tensile stress before it breaks. It is an important property in materials science and engineering, as it indicates the ductility of the material. The elongation is typically expressed as a percentage of the original length after the material has been pulled apart.

How to Calculate Elongation?

The following steps outline how to calculate the elongation of a material.


  1. First, determine the original length of the material (L₀) in units.
  2. Next, determine the strain (ε), which is the ratio of the change in length to the original length.
  3. Next, gather the formula from above = E = L₀ * ε.
  4. Finally, calculate the elongation (E) in units.
  5. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

original length of the material (L₀) = 50 units

strain (ε) = 0.02 (no units)