Question: Is liquid stronger than a solid?

Kirsty Ross answered on 19 Jun 2012:

Liquids can be stronger than solids in certain circumstances. When you take a volume of liquid and put it under a lot of pressure (in the brakes of your car) it doesn’t compress at all and so all the force is transmitted through the liquid. Depending on the nature of the solid, if you put it under a similar pressure it will probably deform slightly (like pushing a pen into a soft piece of lead). Solids can also shatter under pressure if they have small deformities inside them. Cracks can spread and cause it to crumble (like crushing ice). On the other hand, solids are much stronger than liquids when they are stretched, as they can deform and change shape. Liquids just form droplets and fall onto the floor if you try to stretch them!