What is happening on a molecular level when an elastic stretches? Why are some substances elastic but others are not?
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Atoms can be thought of like magnets. Put two near each other and they attract til they bond. You can try to pull them apart but requires energy. With enough force, they can separate. Think of this as pulling sides of an elastic band. If you remove this force while they are still close enough, the attraction takes over and they bond again. What we call plastic deformation is when the atoms are too far apart and the attractiveness isn’t enough. The degree of this attractiveness is dependent on the type atoms present.
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