Q: How does the tensile strength of a metal compare to its hardness?
A: Ok there are a few questions here so let’s start with the strength and hardness comparison first. Tensile strength by definition is the amount of stress a material can handle before it will fail – or fraction. Simply said, the hardness is how it shows how easy it is for another element to penetrate it
Typically for most metals tensile strength is closely related to hardness: as tensile strength increases, as does the hardness and vise versa – however there are many exceptions. Also, as a material gets harder, it generally is also more likely to fracture, so like with everything, there is a balance. More hardness is not always better.