Which of the following best describes how toughness is evaluated?

Toughness is a crucial property of materials, particularly in engineering and materials science, as it indicates a material's ability to absorb energy and deform elastically before fracturing. Evaluating toughness typically involves determining a material's impact resistance; this is often measured through tests such as the Charpy or Izod tests, where a specimen is subjected to a high-energy impact. The goal is to assess how well the material can withstand sudden forces without breaking, which directly relates to its toughness.

By focusing on the ability to resist impact forces without fracturing, this method provides a practical means of characterizing the toughness of a material. It involves studying how much energy the material can absorb during deformation, which is indicative of its overall toughness. This aspect is essential for applications where materials are subjected to sudden loads, making it a relevant and reliable measurement in material evaluation.